Bournemouth are just hovering around the drop zone in the 2023-24 Premier League season while Arsenal have continued to excel since last season’s title challenge.
Bournemouth have had life difficult under their new manager Andoni Iraola so far. It took a miracle for them to escape the drop last season and it seems they will need to wake up or find themselves in another relegation dogfight. The Cherries are still searching for their first win at the time of writing this article.
They opened their season account with a 1-1 draw with West Ham United at the Vitality Stadium before losing at Anfield on match week two. It was a game they scored first through Antoine Semenyo before going ahead to lose 3-1 after an impressive comeback from the Reds. Matchweek three was a 2-0 home loss to Tottenham. James Maddison Dejan Kulusevski scored to secure the win for the North London side.
A 3-2 win over Swansea City in the League Cup followed – a first competitive win under Iraola. That performance prepared them for the next Premier League fixture against Brentford and they nearly got their first win but were denied by a late goal from Bryan Mbeumo as the game finished 2-2. Fellow strugglers Chelsea visited the Vitality Stadium after the international break, a bore-fest was played out, and the game finished goalless.
Meanwhile, Arsenal have been exciting to watch and their brand of football has been super impressive. After the Community Shield win in Wembley back in August, people believed they would be among the contenders for the Premier League title this season and it is looking likely.
Mikel Arteta’s men got their 2023/24 Premier League season underway with a game against Nottingham Forest at the Emirates, which they won 2-1. The arrival of Declan Rice from West Ham in the summer has helped the Gunners continue to play their game in the absence of Thomas Partey. The second game of the season was a trip to South London to face Crystal Palace – a game they laboured to a 1-0 win, having played nearly half an hour with 10 men.
Back-to-back London derbies would see them face Fulham at the Emirates next and they were lucky even to earn a point from the game. The visitors took the lead, and the Gunners rallied back but they were denied late on by the impressive visitors. It finished 2-2. Mikel Arteta’s men then took Manchester United to the cleaners courtesy of a 3-1 win just before the international break.
After the international break, Arsenal travelled to Goodison Park to face Everton and they managed to nick a first win against the Toffees in over six years. It was another well-controlled performance and it needed a fantastic team goal to break down the stubborn home side. On their return to the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 2016/17 season, Arsenal put four past PSV in another dominant performance at the Emirates, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Jesus, and Leandro Trossard were all involved in the goals.
Bournemouth have been struggling in the Premier League this season and they come up against one of the sides that have won games comfortably on the road over the past two seasons.
Bournemouth and Arsenal is a fixture the latter has continued to dominate over the past campaigns. The Gunners have won four of their past five meetings and have also won on their past two trips to the Vitality Stadium.
Match tickets
This epic match at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth kicks off on Saturday 30th September, at 3PM UK time.
This Premier League clash is between a relegation candidate and another team trying to remain as contenders for the Premier League title. Saturday afternoon is a busy day in the Premier League and a special one for Bournemouth and their fans. Despite the size of the stadium – 11,307 – Arsenals will be present to support the Gunners.
Getting tickets for the Bournemouth vs Arsenal match tickets could be a problem considering the kind of opposition and the size of the ground. Anyways, you are advised to search ticket reselling sites should they be expectedly sold out on each club’s channels.
Team news
Line-ups
Bournemouth do have some injury concerns at the moment. US midfielder Tyler Adams, who has been injured for a while, could be closer to an appearance for the Cherries. Iraola is reluctant to put a date on the American’s return, however, and he has been out since March so it definitely wouldn’t be a start. Another summer acquisition Alex Scott, who is also yet to make his debut, still injured, and has been joined on the sidelines by Ryan Fredericks and Dango Ouattara. Emiliano Marcondes is another name in the physio’s rooms.
Bournemouth: Neto; Aarons, Zabarnyi, Kelly, Kerkez; Christie, Cook; Tavernier, Billing, Outtara; Solanke.
Arsenal have enjoyed a clean bill of health in recent weeks. Apart from Gabriel Martinelli who recently went off injured in Arsenal’s win over Everton and missed the victory over PSV, midfielder Thomas Partey remains out with a hip injury and isn’t expected back until October, while Jurrien Timber is a long-term absentee.
Arsenal: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Rice, Odegaard, Havertz, Saka, Trossard; Gabriel Jesus.
Prediction
Bournemouth and Arsenal have met 12 times in the Premier League and the Gunners have won nine times, Bournemouth have just a win and two games have ended in draws. Additionally, the only time Bournemouth defeated Arsenal was in 2018 and their current form does not look like one that can trouble the Gunners on Saturday.
In all competitions, they have met 13 times and the Gunners have 10 wins. In the same light, they have scored 31 times against the Cherries’ 12. One standout stat is that Arsenal have scored in every game against Bournemouth and the same thing is expected on Saturday with a win.
Bournemouth 0-2 Arsenal