Arsenal will host relegation-threatened Bournemouth at the Emirates on Saturday in an effort to pick up their fourth straight Premier League victory and keep their title chances alive.
Wednesday night’s 4-0 demolition of Everton by Arsenal increased their advantage over the leaders, while the Cherries’ most recent game ended in a 4-1 loss to Manchester City.
Match Preview
Everton knew it would be difficult to repeat their one-goal triumph against the league leaders from a few weeks prior at Goodison Park, as they promptly conceded goals to Arsenal once their defense was eventually broken in the 40th minute.
In front of their devoted supporters, the Gunners’ remarkable comeback from their midseason slump continued with goals from Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, who scored a brace, Bukayo Saka, and Martin Odegaard, who also scored in the second half.
With a total of 60 points from their first 25 games of the season, Arsenal has re-established a five-point advantage over Man City in first position. The champions can close that gap for a short while, when they play Newcastle United on Saturday afternoon.
Mikel Arteta’s team only had two victories in their previous five Premier League games at the Emirates, but they are now back to their free-flowing best and are skilled at breaking down low blocks, in large part because of the creative influence of Oleksandr Zinchenko, whose “magic” assist for Saka’s opening goal was praised by Arteta.
Arsenal hasn’t lost to a newly promoted team in the Premier League since falling to Brentford on the first day of last season, and Bournemouth fans making the long trip up north will be more filled with wishful thinking than realistic expectations.
The Arsenal supporters would have cheered for Gary O’Neil’s crop to defeat Man City, but despite putting out a heroic effort on their home ground, the champions’ abundance of quality ultimately won out.
The Cherries’ defeat was attributed to Erling Braut Haaland, Phil Foden, Julian Alvarez, and a Chris Mepham’s own goal, although a late Jefferson Lerma effort was just compensation for their valiant attempts at the Vitality Stadium, even though valiant efforts do not result in points.
With their first post-World Cup victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers two weekends ago, facing Man City, Arsenal, and Liverpool was not what Bournemouth needed to get back on track. O’Neil’s club is still below the finish line in 19th place, but they only trail Leeds United in 17th by one point.
Bournemouth made some wise purchases in January, but they have yet to pay off. Their post-World Cup point and goal totals are the lowest in the Premier League, and they have lost all eight of their prior league matches against the team currently in first place.
Even though Arsenal looked stunning in their brilliantly colored uniforms during their 3-0 victory over Manchester City at the Vitality Stadium in August, their ascent to Premier League supremacy is more impressive.
Arsenal v Bournemouth Team News
Gabriel Jesus and Mohamed Elneny are both still recovering from knee injuries, so no players should leave the Emirates hospital this weekend. But, Gabriel Jesus is once again practicing with the ball at his feet at London Colney and could make a comeback later this month.
Eddie Nketiah, who was having trouble moving about near the conclusion of the victory over Everton owing to a recent injury, has been given a minor concern for Arteta. As a result, the 23-year-old may sit out his third straight game as Leandro Trossard continues to have an impact.
Thomas Partey may make his first XI comeback after suffering from a thigh injury on Wednesday, when Jorginho was forced to leave the game at halftime due to illness. Given the short turnaround, Kieran Tierney, Emile Smith Rowe, and Fabio Vieira will also compete for a spot.
Matias Vina, Junior Stanislas, and Marcus Tavernier all missed out due to new worries before Bournemouth’s loss to Man City, and it is now unknown if any of them will be able to participate at the Emirates.
While Ilya Zabarnyi and David Brooks are unavoidably absent, Lloyd Kelly and Lewis Cook’s involvement is also in doubt. O’Neil is also in need of a new formation after trying a five-man backline against Manchester City with little success.
Yet, given the manner in which the Cherries played, the visiting manager may remain with that defense-heavy configuration in the hopes of containing Arsenal’s rabid attack.
Probable Lineup
Arsenal Probable Starting Llineup:
Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tierney; Xhaka, Partey; Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli; Trossard.
Arsenal Probable Starting Llineup:
Neto; Smith, Mepham, Senesi, Stephens, Zemura; Ouattara, Billing, Lerma, Traore; Solanke.
Date, Kick-off Time and Venue
The kickoff for Arsenal vs. Bournemouth is set for Saturday, March 4, 2023, at 3pm GMT.
The match will take place at Emirates Stadium in north London.
Arsenal v Bournemouth Prediction
Last weekend, Bournemouth gave Man City a few scares and successfully pierced the champions’ defense. Nevertheless, Arteta’s revitalized crop will put up a strong fight against any future attempts to hush the Emirates fans.
Arsenal should maintain their insurmountable lead in first place with another easy win, scoring many goals along the way, even with midweek fatigue working against them.
We at Futballnews believe Arsenal will defeat Bournemouth by a score of 3-0.
