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Arsenal Face Tough Test Against Bournemouth

The international break was arguably more entertaining than it has been in a long time courtesy of the UEFA Nations League, and that can’t be understated. However, we aren’t going to pretend like we aren’t ecstatic about the fact that the Premier League is returning to our screens today. There’s a special kind of vibe that you get with domestic football that is unlike anything else in the world of sport, and while that might sound hyperbolic, we’d challenge anyone to dismiss that idea – because even the seemingly most insignificant of matches in the English top flight this weekend will likely be very entertaining.

One of the games that will be taking place on Sunday as opposed to Saturday is Bournemouth vs Arsenal at the Vitality Stadium, and we’re already fascinated to discover how they’re going to match up. They both actually have quite similar ambitions which isn’t something we would’ve been expecting to say at the start of the campaign, and that’s probably what makes it so intriguing. On the one hand you’ve got a team that have shocked the masses, and there’s an argument to be made that the other have done the exact same thing but just in a different manner.

On the one hand we’ve got Bournemouth, who are right there in the race for a European spot and will actually move to within one point of Arsenal if they can pick up the three points here. Eddie Howe has been able to build a team that their fans can be proud of, and they’re already looking like a side who will be residents in the Premier League for many years to come. Whether or not they can ascend to the heights of a team like Leicester is another query altogether, but for now, we’re confident in saying that they’ll be more than happy with where they’re at.

Then you’ve got Arsenal who will be the visitors for this encounter, and they’ve got a lot to protect and play for too. When their unbeaten run surpassed double figures many were just waiting for them to slip up, but up to this point, they’ve been able to overcome every single obstacle that has been put in their way. Unai Emery is building a team for the future as opposed to a team that just wants to challenge for the top four every year, and that can only mean good things for the Gunners over the next few years and beyond.

Bournemouth’s last six games have been intriguing to say the least, with some arguing that the last two have served as proof that the wheels are starting to fall off in a similar manner to Watford. Speaking of Watford, they began this six game stretch with a 4-0 demolition of the Hornets, followed up by a 0-0 draw against local rivals Southampton. Back to back wins against Fulham and Norwich helped to restore their confidence, but the 2-1 loss against Manchester United (in a game they probably should’ve won) served as a bit of a reality check for them. The 2-1 loss at the hands of Newcastle was also a little bit baffling, too.

Don’t let the unbeaten run fool you with the Gunners, because they haven’t really been the most consistent of sides as of late. Narrow wins against Sporting Lisbon and Blackpool had a disappointing 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace sandwiched in between, which ensured their winning streak turned into an unbeaten streak. An impressive 1-1 draw against Liverpool raised the hopes of some fans but they followed that up with a dull 0-0 draw against Sporting, and the 1-1 draw against Wolves was arguably their worst performance of the season so far.

It won’t come as all too much of a shock to learn that Arsenal lead the overall head to head standings, with a 5-1 advantage over the Cherries. Their first meeting game back in 1987 and they didn’t play each other again until 2015, which should tell you all that you need to know about how impressive their rise up through the ranks has been. In their last meeting back in January, Bournemouth actually managed to secure their first ever win over the top four contenders with a 2-1 triumph that offered up further proof that perhaps a change in management was finally needed.

The big story in the Bournemouth camp is that they could get a massive boost in the form of Joshua King returning. He’s missed their last four Premier League games courtesy of an ankle injury and will be assessed by Eddie Howe himself, although the big negative is that Adam Smith will be out for quite some with a knee injury from the game against Newcastle. They’ve still got a strong enough side to push Arsenal all the way this weekend, and it’ll be interesting to see what kind of starting XI they come out with.

Arsenal, on the other hand, could find themselves struggling when it comes to defensive options – which is hardly something new for them. Koscielny, Mavropanos, Lichtsteiner and Monreal will likely all miss out with Danny Welbeck being set to side on the sidelines for a while with his ankle problem. Mohamed Elneny is back to full fitness but given that he’s one of the players who many feel will be on the way out in January or the summer, that won’t mean all too much for the Emirates faithful.

Bournemouth vs Arsenal Betting Prediction

This an intriguing game in our book because we’ve seen the Cherries play fantastic football against some of the best the Premier League has to offer, but we’ve also seen them falter against sides they really should be beating. It’s the kind of give and take you’d expect from a team lingering around the middle of the table as opposed to the top, which should worry the home side just a little bit. They need to start off at a steady pace in order to try and dictate the game from the middle of the park, but we don’t think they’re going to do that.

Instead, we think that Arsenal are going to do what they’ve done so many times this season – and that’s score two goals in quick succession. They say that teams are at their most vulnerable when they’ve just scored but it appears as if the opposite is true for the Gunners, and we believe they’ll go into the break with a two goal advantage. Then, as the Cherries pour forward in search of an equaliser in the second half, they’ll round off the win with a third goal to emphasise just how serious they are about a top four push.