Bournemouth vs Arsenal. Premier League.
Vitality StadiumAttendance11,202.
Saturday 17 July 2021 14:45, UK
Bournemouth's Jack Wilshere is ineligible to face parent club Arsenal in Tuesday's Premier League clash, live on Sky Sports, while Mesut Ozil is set to miss out again for the Gunners.
Wilshere sat out the Cherries' 3-1 defeat at the Emirates in November and will have another watching brief as his current team-mates look to build on a convincing win over Swansea on New Year's Eve.
Arsenal head into this one after a comfortable victory of their own - Olivier Giroud's scorpion-kick goal the standout moment in a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace - but Arsene Wenger is full of admiration for his next opponent, Eddie Howe.
"He is an example for all of the young English managers that if you work well, if you work your way through with a club, you can get your chance in the Premier League," Wenger told Sky Sports ahead of the game.
"I think even in the Championship, let's not forget they had a remarkable season; they scored over 100 goals. They have a style of play that is a positive style of play."
Wilshere's absence will at least be offset by Benik Afobe's availability, the former Gunners striker withdrawing from DR Congo's Africa Cup of Nations squad in a bid to help the Cherries' cause.
"It's a massive tournament for everyone, but thinking about my development and being at this stage in my career where I'm trying to establish myself in my first full Premier League season, I just want to keep improving," he said.
"I have a great opportunity here now and I think by going away and missing six or seven weeks it could hamper my season personally and for the team."
Though Afobe has sidestepped the tournament in Gabon, Max Gradel could miss as many as six weeks of Bournemouth's season after linking up with Ivory Coast for the African tournament.
The Gunners, meanwhile, look likely to have to do without Ozil at the Vitality Stadium as he continues to recover from illness.
There could be starts for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Shkodran Mustafi, who featured on the bench against the Eagles having recovered from injury.
And Wenger will likely make further changes to his team as they prepare for their second match in three days, Aaron Ramsey and Francis Coquelin among those in contention.
Callum Wilson's penalty in the reverse fixture at the Emirates was Bournemouth's first ever competitive goal against Arsenal.
Arsenal have won all four of their previous meetings with Bournemouth in all competitions, scoring 10 goals and conceding just one.
Bournemouth have conceded two or more goals in three of their last four at the Vitality Stadium (W2 L2).
The Cherries have won five of their last eight Premier League home games - the same tally that they managed in their first 20 games at home in the competition.
The Gunners have lost their last two Premier League away games 2-1 each time losing from a winning position; they haven't lost three in a row since October 2011.
Both teams have got on the scoresheet in seven of Arsenal's last eight Premier League matches on the road.
No Bournemouth player has more assists (7) or chances created (54) than defender Charlie Daniels in the Premier League.
Alexis Sanchez has scored nine goals and assisted three more in nine Premier League away appearances this season.
In fact, Sanchez is only one goal away from equalling his best ever season tally of goals away from home in a European top-flight league (10 for Udinese in 2010-11).
Bournemouth gave Arsenal a right good game when they met at the Emirates a few weeks ago, but I've got to go for Arsenal to win here. As I've said a lot in these predictions, teams in the Premier League need to win matches and draws are no good and if Arsenal don't win this they will be fighting for top four, never mind top spot. With Jack Wilshere not able to play I will go for a narrow Arsenal win - it will be hard for them, though.
Bournemouth are 3/1 with Sky Bet as they look for back-to-back wins following an impressive 3-0 victory at Swansea on Saturday. The Cherries welcome Arsenal to the Vitality Stadium and the Gunners can be backed at 5/6.
Arsene Wenger's men are priced at 9/4 for a win to nil, while an away victory with both teams finding the net is on offer at 9/4. Alexis Sanchez tops the first goalscorer market at 7/2, closely followed by team-mate Olivier Giroud, with Callum Wilson considered most likely for the hosts at 7/1.
