Last weekend, the Gunners edged out Tottenham Hotspur in a thrilling North London derby, winning 3-2 despite a late comeback attempt from Spurs. Arsenal had built a comfortable 3-0 lead thanks to goals from Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, and an own goal from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
But Tottenham made it interesting when Cristian Romero and Son Heung-min scored, the latter from a penalty. However, Arsenal held on for the win, keeping their one-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the table. With City holding a game in hand, Arsenal knows they can't afford any slip-ups if they want to finally end their 20-year wait for a Premier League title.
Liverpool seems to be out of the title race, leaving it as a straight contest between Arsenal and Manchester City. If the Gunners can get a fourth consecutive league win against Bournemouth, they will put more pressure on City, who play later on Saturday. Arsenal's home record has been solid, with six wins out of seven in 2024, their only loss coming against Aston Villa. Fans will remember their wild win against Bournemouth last season, capped off by Reiss Nelson's 97th-minute stunner.
Meanwhile, Bournemouth has had a decent season, sitting comfortably in mid-table and showing signs of improvement. They secured a 3-0 win over Brighton last week, thanks to Enes Unal's impressive performance, setting up one goal and scoring another. The final goal came from Justin Kluivert in the dying minutes of the match.
Bournemouth has set a club record for Premier League points, with 48, and European qualification isn't entirely off the table, though it will be tough. They're five points behind Newcastle United in seventh and six behind Manchester United in sixth, with only three games left.
Andoni Iraola has done a great job with his squad, but their recent history against Arsenal isn't encouraging. The Gunners crushed them 4-0 at Bournemouth's ground earlier in the season and came back from two goals down to win in dramatic fashion at the Emirates last year.
Overall, Arsenal will be aiming to keep their momentum going, while Bournemouth, with less to play for, could surprise the Gunners if they don't take the match seriously.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Arsenal didn't pick up any new injuries during their North London derby victory, so they should have their full squad ready to face Bournemouth this weekend. Jurrien Timber, who's been out with a torn ACL, has played in two Under-21 matches without any issues, suggesting he could make the matchday squad. However, it's likely he'll be on the bench with Takehiro Tomiyasu continuing at left-back over Jakub Kiwior and Oleksandr Zinchenko.Given Mikel Arteta's tendency to stick with a winning team, don't expect any changes to the starting XI from the Spurs game. This consistency has helped players like Bukayo Saka hit milestones—he's the first English player since Ian Wright to score 15 Premier League goals in a single season for Arsenal since 1996-97.
On the other hand, Bournemouth is dealing with a rash of injuries. Antoine Semenyo's stretcher exit in their last match against Brighton looked serious, but he's unexpectedly okay and should be available for this weekend, along with Romain Faivre, who had a thigh issue. Unfortunately, Tyler Adams, Chris Mepham, Milos Kerkez (suspension), Luis Sinisterra, Marcus Tavernier, and Ryan Fredericks are still out.
However, Philip Billing and Ilya Zabarnyi are back from illness, which is a boost for Bournemouth. Zabarnyi's return might mean Dango Ouattara could replace Semenyo, who might be rested, while Lloyd Kelly could play at left-back.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Arsenal possible starting lineup:Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tomiyasu; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Trossard
Bournemouth possible starting lineup:
Neto; Smith, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kelly; Ouattara, Cook, Scott, Kluivert; Solanke, Unal
EXPERT PREDICTION
Arsenal 3-1 Bournemouth
Given Bournemouth's injury woes, they could struggle to contain Arsenal's relentless attack. The Gunners are determined to stay on top of the league, and Mikel Arteta's players are likely to come out swinging, eager to keep their title hopes alive.
