Arsenal travels to Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon, riding high after a solid 4-1 win against Aston Villa.
Mikel Arteta’s team starts 2026 at the top of the Premier League with 83 points collected over the past year. They are determined to widen their lead. However, they remember last season’s challenges against Bournemouth, who managed to beat them 2-0 in this fixture.
Currently, Bournemouth is 15th in the league and looking to end a troubling ten-match winless streak, their longest in a single season. Despite this, they have been tough to beat at home, losing just two of their last 13 league games at the Vitality Stadium and earning 16 of their 22 points this season there. Arsenal needs to be at their best to avoid another defeat against this tricky opponent.
Bournemouth vs Arsenal – Match Preview and Team News
- Date: Saturday, 3 January 2026
- Kick-off: 17:30 GMT
- Venue: Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth
- Referee: Chris Kavanagh
- VAR: Paul Tierney
- Last Meeting: Arsenal 1-2 Bournemouth, 3 May 2025, Premier League
Team News
Bournemouth
Andoni Iraola has confirmed that forward Antoine Semenyo is ready to play, despite rumors of a £65 million transfer to Manchester City. However, the team is missing several key players, including Ryan Christie, Ben Gannon-Doak, and Tyler Adams, all out due to injuries. Veljko Milosavljevic is also unavailable, and a late call will be made on Lewis Cook, who missed the last match with a neck issue.
Arsenal
Mikel Arteta faces fitness issues following the intense game against Aston Villa. Declan Rice is doubtful due to knee inflammation, with a final decision expected after Friday’s training. Defenders Riccardo Calafiori and Cristhian Mosquera are confirmed out, along with young player Max Dowman. On a positive note, key attackers Gabriel Jesus, Viktor Gyokeres, and Kai Havertz are fit and available.
Form
Bournemouth
Bournemouth’s form has declined since late October, currently winless in their last 10 league matches. Antoine Semenyo remains crucial as he leads the team in goals, assists, and shots. Historically, they have struggled against teams at the top, losing 12 of their 13 games against league leaders.
Arsenal
Arsenal has been strong recently, losing only one of their last 16 league games and winning four in a row. Leandro Trossard has been their standout player this season, leading in goals and assists. Arteta hopes his team will keep up this performance to stay ahead in the title race.
Predicted Lineups
Bournemouth predicted XI: Petrovic; Smith, Diakite, Senesi, Truffert; Scott, Tavernier; Brooks, Kluivert, Semenyo; Evanilson
Arsenal predicted XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Merino; Saka, Gyokeres, Trossard
How to watch Bournemouth vs Arsenal?
The match will be shown live in the UK on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League, with coverage starting at 17:00 GMT.
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