Arsenal will look to preserve second spot in the Premier League standings when they take on a Bournemouth side still hopeful of European qualification.
Arsenal have endured a difficult few games heading into the weekend clash with Bournemouth, and they will certainly be focused on their UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg against PSG. The Gunners lost the first leg with a 1-0 reverse scoreline courtesy of an early Ousmane Dembele strike at the Emirates.
The Gunners did have their chances in the game, while Mikel Merino’s second-half strike was ruled out for marginal offside. Arsenal are still in the tie, as they head to Paris on Wednesday. But before that Mikel Arteta will look to cement the second spot in the Premier League.
Following their draw with Crystal Palace last week, Arsenal are still in second and have a five-point advantage over third-placed Newcastle United. Arteta will not want the Magpies, Manchester City or even Chelsea to close in on them, and Arsenal will aim to get a win over Bournemouth and prepare in the best possible way for the PSG second leg.
Bournemouth were very close to securing a valuable win over Manchester United at home last weekend, which would have pushed them into contention for European qualification in the standings. There is a big possibility for the Premier League to have nine teams in European competition next season, with the Cherries still in with a chance to make that happen.
Last weekend, they came agonisingly close to securing three points over Manchester United as they held on to a slender lead after Antoine Semenyo’s first-half strike. Rasmus Hojlund secured a point at the death as Bournemouth played over 20 minutes with ten men following Evanilson’s straight red card.
The Cherries probably have a chance to break into a European place although they still have a tough run of games to play. Apart from relegated Leicester City on the final day of the season, Bournemouth will first play Arsenal followed by a home clash with Aston Villa and then a trip to the Etihad to face Manchester City. If they can get something at the Emirates, it will be a big boost for Andoni Iraola’s side in their quest for Europe.
Team News & Tactics
Arsenal
Mikel Arteta confirmed that Kai Havertz is in with a chance to feature in the last few games of the season, which is a boost of sorts, although he is unlikely to be available for the game against Bournemouth. Jorginho and Riccardo Calafiori are out of contention for the weekend, with their status for the UEFA Champions League clash still unclear. Backup goalkeeper Neto will miss out as he is ineligible to face his parent club. So, Tommy Setford could be the No.2.
Arsenal are expected to go with their strongest available lineup for this clash, as Arteta will use Thomas Partey, Martin Odegaard, and Declan Rice in his midfield setup. The latter could return to a left-eight role following a different role against PSG as the Ghanaian international was absent from their midweek clash.
Mikel Merino is expected to revert to his false-nine role in the front three, with Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli set to feature on the wings. At the back, Jurrien Timber and Myles Lewis-Skelly are expected to feature in the full-back roles, with William Saliba and Jakub Kiwior keeping their central defensive positions.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Saka, Merino, Martinelli
Bournemouth
Evanilson escaped a three-match ban after an independent panel overturned the red card, meaning the Brazilian will be available to face Arsenal on Saturday. Andoni Iraola will have a similar squad from the Manchester United clash for this one, with the potential addition of Luis Sinisterra, who has regained fitness.
Bournemouth will be without Ryan Christie and Enes Unal for this clash against Arsenal, although Iraola is expected to name an unchanged lineup for this clash from the last game. So, Adam Smith and Milos Kerkez will take up the full-back roles, with Illia Zabarnyi and Dean Huijsen squeezed between in the central defensive roles.
Tyler Adams will have Alex Scott for company in the double pivot, while Justin Kluivert plays in the advanced role. Dango Ouatarra and Antoine Semenyo are the wide players, with Evanilson leading the line for Bournemouth against Arsenal.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Kepa; Smith, Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez; Adams, Scott; Semenyo, Kluivert, Ouatarra; Evanilson
Key Stats
- Arsenal are undefeated in their last eight home matches against Bournemouth in all competitions.
- Arsenal are undefeated in their last eight matches in the Premier League.
- Bournemouth are undefeated in their last four games in the Premier League.
- Bournemouth only have one win in their last four Premier League games.
- Evanilson has been directly involved in six goals in his past nine Premier League starts, scoring five goals and assisting one
Player to Watch
Bukayo Saka
Saka did come in for criticism following his display against PSG in the home leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final. In a game dominated by wingers like Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola, many had expected the Arsenal man to come good, but that was not the case.
The Bournemouth game is another opportunity for Saka to showcase his credentials and get ready for the second leg in Paris. The Englishman will have the spotlight on him ahead of Saturday, as the fans inside the Emirates will hope for a top-notch display from the homegrown talent to give them hope ahead of Wednesday.
Prediction
Arsenal 3-1 Bournemouth
Bournemouth are unbeaten in their last four games, but those outings have only resulted in one win. There are talented outlets in Andoni Iraola’s side, but there are some question marks when it comes to certain games. With the pressure mounting on them to secure a European place at the end of the season, the Cherries might falter at the Emirates.
Arsenal are not in a good vein of form themselves, but they will want to be at their best for the PSG second leg. Hence, Mikel Arteta will take this game very seriously as a means to polish his player’s performances and get ready for next Wednesday. So, Arsenal are expected to take three points in a competitive display of sorts unlike some of the league before this.