With Manchester City set to face Chelsea on Sunday evening, Arsenal, currently leading the Premier League, have the chance to extend their advantage over Pep Guardiola’s team to 12 points by securing all three points against Bournemouth on Saturday lunchtime.
The upcoming match between City and Arsenal next weekend could hold greater importance depending on the outcomes of this weekend’s fixtures in favour of the Gunners. With Mikel Arteta’s side inches away from clinching their first league title in 22 years, these next few matches are undeniably crucial in the club’s recent history.
Bournemouth remains unbeaten in 11
Despite the North Londoners boasting an impressive record of 12 wins, two draws, and only one defeat in 15 home Premier League games this season, victory over Andoni Iraola’s team is far from a certainty.
The Cherries have gone 11 league matches without loss, matching a club record, and they made the Gunners work for their 3-2 victory during their earlier encounter at the Vitality Stadium this season.
In their last five outings, Bournemouth has recorded five draws (against West Ham, Sunderland, Brentford, Burnley, and Man United). Should Saturday’s clash also end in a stalemate, the South Coast club would become the first Premier League team since Manchester City in November 2009 to endure six consecutive draws.
The Cherries have triumphed in two of their last three league encounters with the Gunners, including a 2-1 success at the Emirates Stadium last term, significantly more than they achieved in the previous 14 match-ups (W1 D2 L11). Moreover, they have the chance to prevent Arsenal from achieving five consecutive wins for the third time this season—something they last accomplished in the 2013/14 and 2022/23 seasons.
In their last fixture against Manchester United, Junior Kroupi scored his ninth league goal of the season for the Cherries.
If he manages to score at the Emirates, he would make history as the first teenager to net 10 or more goals in their debut season in the competition since Robbie Keane did so for Coventry City in the 1999/00 season.
Declan Rice has a good history against Bournemouth
The visitors also possess quality across the pitch, with Adrien Truffert ranking joint-third among defenders for open-play assists this season (three).
His impressive 74 overlapping runs in the Premier League this term outstrip everyone else by 36, making it essential for Arteta’s game strategy to contain his runs.
Arsenal, of course, have shown their quality, and after enduring disappointing exits to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final and Southampton in the FA Cup, they lifted spirits with a historic 1-0 win against Sporting in their first-ever European knockout-stage match in Portugal.
Declan Rice excelled in that game and has a fantastic record against Bournemouth, having scored five and been involved in seven Premier League goals against them—more than against any other team. Moreover, all seven contributions have occurred in his last eight matches versus the Cherries.
15 clean sheets for Arsenal this season
It remains uncertain if Rice will be joined by Bukayo Saka or Jurrien Timber, as both players undergo late fitness tests to assess their availability. There’s a better chance for Eberechi Eze to be fit, although he is likely to be rested if he is not at full match fitness. Piero Hincapie and Mikel Merino are certain to miss out.
The Cherries are likely to be without Tyler Adams, Lewis Cook, Julio Soler, and Justin Kluivert, prompting a reshuffle from Iraola. This is less than ideal as they seek a finish that would qualify them for European spots, currently sitting just four points off those places.
To put this contest into perspective, Arsenal have already secured 15 clean sheets this season, averaging just 0.71 expected goals against per game (22.1 xGA in 31 matches)—the lowest of any team in a single season in the English top flight since Manchester City in the 2021/22 season (0.65 per game).
Final 15 minutes should be a spectacle
With at least three goals logged in five of the last six head-to-heads, there’s a good chance for an exciting match. However, Saka’s involvement could be crucial, given that he has recorded the highest number of total shots in the Arsenal squad this season (63), with the most on target as well (26).
Viktor Gyokeres continues to impress with his goal tally (11 in the league so far); however, his overall game could certainly use improvement.
For Bournemouth, Marcus Tavernier could also play a critical role in determining the match’s outcome. The 27-year-old has created the most chances for his side (36), and is joint-top for assists (four) alongside the most shots taken (58).
Given that both teams are the highest scoring and conceding sides in the final 15 minutes of their respective matches this season, there’s potential for a dramatic finish in this encounter.
Compiled by SportArena.au
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