Arsenal will be hoping to continue their push for the Premier League title as they host Bournemouth in Saturday’s early kick-off.

The Gunners currently sit one point ahead of Manchester City at the top of the table, however the Citizens have a game in hand meaning that Arsenal cannot afford to slip up.

After an incredible week, which saw them smash Chelsea 5-0 and triumph 3-2 in a nail-biting North London Derby, Arsenal fans are probably hoping for an easy three points however this weekend’s opponents are no push overs.

Bournemouth have only lost two of their last 10 games, winning six in that time. They come into this one off the back of an impressive 3-0 win over Brighton and Hove Albion.

Iraola has his Bournemouth team purring, and only four sides in the division have picked up more points than them since the beginning of November.

Team News

Arsenal’s team is pretty much as you were from the last game, however Arteta has alluded to the possibility of summer signing Jurrien Timber making the matchday squad for the first time since August.

Welcome to The Arsenal, Jurrien Timber 🤩

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 14, 2023

Bournemouth on the other hand, have a lot of injury concerns. Antoine Semenyo was stretchered off in injury time at the end of last weekends game and it seems certain that he will not appear for the Cherries again this season.

He joins Marcus Tavernier, Tyler Adams, Chris Mepham, Luis Sinisterra, Romain Faivre, Illya Zabarnyi and Milos Kerkez on the sidelines.

Players to watch out for

Justin Kluivert (7) has now scored more Premier League goals than his father Patrick Kluivert (6).

Standard chattered. 🍒 pic.twitter.com/kFVnhzbk4k

— H/F (@hfworld_) April 28, 2024

With the form that Arsenal are in, it is very difficult to pick just one of their players to watch out for against Bournemouth, but I’m going for someone who was called a ‘flop’ by many, before he had even kicked a ball for the gunners.

Kai Havertz struggled at the beginning of the season but has recently picked up form. The German forward has 13 goal involvements in his last 11 Premier League games, including two goals against his former club Chelsea.

For Bournemouth, there has been one player in recent weeks who, like Kai Havertz, has found their feet at their new club.

Justin Kluivert’s goal against Brighton took him to seven for the season, joint second in the Bournemouth scoring charts. The Dutchman has been electric in recent games whether it be in a number 10 position or on the wing.

Arsenal vs Bournemouth head-to-head

Arsenal fans will remember the last time Bournemouth visited the Emirates, as Reis Nelson scored a last-minute winner to make the score 3-2. Arsenal won their other meeting this season too, a 4-0 drubbing on the South Coast.

The last time Bournemouth won against Arsenal was in January 2018, when Callum Wilson and Jordan Ibe scored in a 2-1 victory. That game was the only time that Bournemouth have ever beaten the Gunners, and they have never come away from the red half of North London with even a point.