Arsenal Vs Bournemouth: 5 key players to watch

Arsenal, Alexandre Lacazette, Alexis Sanchez — LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 10: Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal is replaced by Alexis Sanchez of Arsenal during the Carabao Cup Semi-Final First Leg match between Chelsea and Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on January 10, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

Arsenal travel to Bournemouth as the Premier League returns on Sunday afternoon in much need of a win. Here are five key players to watch ahead of the tricky away trip.

After a cup-shaped hiatus that saw Arsenal record one good and one bad result, the Gunners return to Premier League duties on Sunday afternoon, travelling to the south coast to face a Bournemouth side who are searching for some form. Given recent dropped points against Chelsea and West Brom, both games that they were leading midway through the second half, the lost ground in the race for the top four makes this a must-win fixture.

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So, in light of that necessity, here are five key players to watch.

Arsenal, Ainsley Maitland-Niles — LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 10: Ainsley Maitland-Niles of Arsenal and Eden Hazard of Chelsea in action during the Carabao Cup Semi-Final First Leg match between Chelsea and Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on January 10, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

5. Ainsley Maitland-Niles

It is fair to expect Arsenal to dominate possession on Sunday. Only Manchester City have averaged a higher share of games this season, and given Arsene Wenger’s penchant for possession, it would be surprising if that changed on Sunday. As a result, the game will be determined as it so often is: Can Arsenal break down a deep-sitting and disciplined Bournemouth defence?

In these type of games, often times, it is in wide areas that the attacking side can find joy. As we have seen in contrast in many Arsenal games in the past, when they play narrowly, attempting to slalom through a forest of legs that stretch only the width of the penalty area, engineering openings and creating chances can be extremely difficult.

So in the 3-4-3 formation that Wenger has implemented in recent weeks, the responsibility to provide attacking width is on the two wing-backs. Hector Bellerin, on one side, while extremely inconsistent (read: poor) in his distribution, still offers a threat of searing pace and a willingness to overlap. On the opposite flank, with Ainsley Maitland-Niles starting in Sead Kolasinac’s stead, there is far less evidence to suggest that the same danger can be provided. I will be watching Maitland-Niles closely to see if he can maintain Arsenal’s width consistently.