Arsenal vs Bournemouth; Premier League
Arsenal vs Bournemouth. Premier League.
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Arsenal vs Bournemouth preview
Watch match highlights shortly after full-time on skysports.com and the Sky Sports app
Friday 4 October 2019 18:51, UK
Team news, key stats and predictions ahead of Arsenal vs Bournemouth in the Premier League.
Team news
Arsenal have no fresh injury concerns as head coach Unai Emery prepares to welcome back a host of first-team regulars for Sunday's Premier League visit of Bournemouth.
Emery made 10 changes for Thursday's Europa League win over Standard Liege with Granit Xhaka, Bernd Leno, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Matteo Guendouzi all likely to return.
Striker Alexandre Lacazette (ankle) and midfielder Emile Smith Rowe (concussion) are the only absentees with forward Bukayo Saka available having suffered from cramp in the latter stages of Monday's draw at Manchester United.
Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe should have Scotland winger Ryan Fraser back following illness.
Defender Adam Smith (hamstring) and midfielder Dan Gosling (hip) are both closing in on a return as they step up their recovery.
Defender Chris Mepham has withdrawn from the Wales squad with an unspecified injury, while midfielder David Brooks (ankle), left-back Charlie Daniels (knee) and winger Junior Stanislas (knee) all continue their own rehabilitation.
How to watch
Follow the action with our dedicated live blog. Highlights of the game will be published shortly after full-time on the Sky Sports website and app plus the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel.
Opta stats
- Arsenal have won all five of their home matches against Bournemouth in all competitions (four in the Premier League, one in the League Cup).
- Bournemouth have taken only four points from eight Premier League matches against Arsenal (W1 D1 L6).
- The only teams to play more away Premier League games at Arsenal than Bournemouth without winning a point (P4 W0 D0 L4) are Stoke City (10 games) and Burnley (6).
- Arsenal have lost just one of their last 21 Premier League home games (W16 D4), losing 2-3 against Crystal Palace in April. However, the Gunners have shipped two goals in their last two home matches, last doing so in three consecutive home games in December 2012.
- Both teams have scored in each of Bournemouth's seven Premier League games so far this season - only three teams have both scored and conceded in their first eight matches to a Premier League campaign (Derby 8 in 2000-01, Middlesbrough 9 in 2000-01 and Leicester 9 in 2015-16).
- Bournemouth's Callum Wilson is looking to score in five consecutive league games for the first time since March 2014 when he was at Coventry. He's netted three goals in his four Premier League appearances against Arsenal.
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could become the first Arsenal player to score as many as eight goals in the Gunners' first eight games to a Premier League season since Dennis Bergkamp in 1997-98.
Charlie's prediction
This is a game I expect Arsenal to go and win. Bournemouth are ticking along nicely and will play on the counter-attack, but they don't tend to get results on the road away at the big sides. But with Arsenal's defence still very fragile, this is another dangerous game for the Gunners. They should just have enough to get the win, but then again if Arsenal are one thing, they are surprising.
CHARLIE PREDICTS: 3-1 (10/1 with Sky Bet)
Fantasy Football tip
It is hard to look past Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. He scored his seventh goal of the season at Old Trafford and has 58 points for the season, the fifth most in Fantasy Football. Why would you miss out on recruiting his services? Who will you pick? Play Fantasy Football here.
