Currently sitting 13th on the league table after their recent defeat at the King Power Stadium, Bournemouth will aim to bounce back as they host Arsenal at the Vitality Stadium later today. The Cherries are eager to challenge last season’s Premier League runners-up in what promises to be a tough and thrilling encounter.
Arsenal, one of only three unbeaten teams across all competitions in Europe this season, alongside Manchester City and Juventus, are on the other hand, determined to extend their streak. Though they left it late against Southampton, the Gunners secured all three points and will be looking to replicate that performance today to maintain their momentum.
Insights:
Here are a few key insights heading into the match:
- Arsenal remain undefeated across all competitions this season, with an impressive 10-game streak with 7 wins and 3 draws coming against Brighton, Atalanta, and Manchester City, in that order.
- The Gunners have faced Bournemouth four times since the Cherries’ promotion to the top flight in 2022, winning all four encounters with a dominant aggregate scoreline of 13-2. Arsenal have scored at least three goals in each of those matches.
- Their 3-1 victory over Southampton marked Arsenal’s 1,999th league win. A win today would see them become only the second club to reach 2,000 league victories, following Liverpool with 2,065.
- Each of Bournemouth’s last 10 wins have been against teams in the bottom half of the table. Their last win against a side in the top half was in December 2023 which was a convincing 3-0 win over the red devils. They have since lost their next 11 against higher-ranked prior to this evening’s.
Bournemouth vs Arsenal, Head-to-head:
The Cherries’ head-to-head record against the Gunners leaves much to be desired, which isn’t surprising given Arsenal’s clinical edge in front of goal. A closer look at their last five meetings highlights Arsenal’s dominance:
- 25 Jul. ’24: Arsenal 1 (5) – 1 (4) Bournemouth (Club Friendly)
- 4 May ’24: Arsenal 3 – 0 Bournemouth (Premier League)
- 30 Sep. ’23: Bournemouth 0 – 4 Arsenal (Premier League)
- 4 Mar. ’23: Arsenal 3 – 2 Bournemouth (Premier League)
- 20 Aug. ’22: Bournemouth 0 – 3 Arsenal (Premier League)
While Bournemouth managed a draw in a pre-season friendly, Arsenal have convincingly won their competitive encounters, scoring 15 goals across these five matches.
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Injury / Team News:
Bournemouth will receive a boost with midfielder Tyler Adams fit and available for today’s clash, as confirmed by head coach Andoni Iraola. Although Adams hasn’t had much game time recently, he is in good shape and ready to feature. However, left-back Milos Kerkez remains sidelined, having missed international duty due to injury.
On the Arsenal front, goalkeeper Neto is unavailable to face his parent club. Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta has provided positive updates on Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz, who are likely to be in contention after missing recent international fixtures. Gabriel Martinelli is also expected to be fit despite only just returning from national team duty. However, captain Martin Odegaard will sit out this game due to injury, though he could return next week. Defenders Ben White, Jurrien Timber, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Takehiro Tomiyasu all aren’t quite at 100% yet.
Quotes From Managers:
Iraola:
“Sometimes it’s best not to look at every statistic when you face this kind of opposition. You have to respect them but maybe not so much, to try to focus on the things we can do to hurt them. We’ve created less against them in the past season, so we haven’t been the team we want to be against them. It’s a challenge for us.
Arteta:
“They are very well coached and they are super intense, really competitive and a clear idea as to how they want to do it. They should have had different results in my opinion, especially against the big teams and away from home. They’re going to be a big challenge and we’ll have to be at our best tomorrow.”
With Bournemouth aiming to improve their record against top teams, and Arsenal, hoping to extend their unbeaten streak and reach a significant milestone, they will both be motivated to win. Also, with key players returning for both sides, the match is expected to be highly competitive. Regardless of whatever the outcome is, it definitely feels good to know the English Premier League is back in action.
