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Arsenal make the trip to the South Coast to take on Bournemouth in their first game of 2026 on Saturday evening.
The Gunners will be looking to record their fifth straight Premier League win after thumping Aston Villa 4-1 in their last outing. A quickfire start to the second-half saw Gabriel Magalhaes and Martín Zubimendi score in swift succession before Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus put their side well in control with well-taken strikes. Ollie Watkins grabbed a consolation goal in stoppage time.
Bournemouth are in complete opposite form to Mikel Arteta's side as they are currently on a 10-game winless run, having not been victorious since October. The Cherries did snatch a point in their previous game however, holding Chelsea to a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge.
Both sides will be searching for a victory for different reasons. Arsenal will be looking to extend their lead at the top of the table to seven points while Bournemouth will be hoping to avoid the real possibility of being sucked into a relegation battle, setting up an exciting clash at the Vitality Stadium.
Here's our preview of Arsenal's year opener at Bournemouth.
Bournemouth vs Arsenal: Preview, Prediction & Lineups
What time does Bournemouth vs Arsenal kick off?
Bournemouth vs Arsenal kicks off on Saturday 3 January at 17:30 GMT.
- When is kick off? Saturday 3 January, 2025
- What time is kick off? 17:30 GMT
- Where is it played? Vitality Stadium
- Referee: Chris Kavanagh
Bournemouth vs Arsenal last five meetings
Date | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|
3 May 2025 | Arsenal 1-2 Bournemouth | Premier League |
19 October 2024 | Bournemouth 2-0 Arsenal | Premier League |
4 May 2024 | Arsenal 3-0 Bournemouth | Premier League |
30 September 2023 | Bournemouth 0-4 Arsenal | Premier League |
4 March 2023 | Arsenal 3-2 Bournemouth | Premier League |
Bournemouth vs Arsenal head-to-head record
Club | Wins | Draws | Losses |
|---|---|---|---|
Bournemouth | 3 | 2 | 13 |
Arsenal | 13 | 2 | 3 |
How to watch Bournemouth vs Arsenal
Country | TV channel/live stream |
|---|---|
United Kingdom | Sky Sports Main Event |
Australia | Stan Sport |
Canada | DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada, Fubo Sports Network Canada |
United States | NBC, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, UNIVERSO, UNIVERSO NOW, Peacock |
Bournemouth team news
The big talking point for Bournemouth leading up to this game was whether Antoine Semenyo would be available to play ahead of his all but complete move to Manchester City. However, Andoni Iraola confirmed that the winger will be in the starting lineup on Saturday.
Despite the somewhat positive in Semenyo starting, the Cherries still have issues on the injury front. Ben Gannon-Doak, Velijko Milosavljevic and Tyler Adams will all be absent. Lewis Cook and Ryan Christie are in contention to make the matchday squad, subject to late fitness tests.
Predicted Bournemouth lineup vs Arsenal: Petrovic; Smith, Diakite, Senesi, Truffert; Scott, Tavernier; Brooks, Kluivert, Semenyo; Evanilson
Arsenal team news
Arsenal's most notable absentee in the win over Villa was Declan Rice, who picked up a knee injury in the previous game against Brighton. Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Arteta confirmed his midfielder hadn't trained since Tuesday and that it would be a wait-and-see situation if he is fit to face Bournemouth. If he does recover in time though, he will likely start on the bench.
Riccardo Calafiori and Cristhian Mosquera will definitely be missing for the trip to the South Coast though as they continue their recovery from their respective injuries.
One change that Arteta could make to his side is the striker. Viktor Gyökeres struggled once again up front against Villa and after Gabriel Jesus came on to score the fourth goal and continue his positive return from injury, the Gunners boss could opt to swap out the Swede for the Brazilian.
Predicted Arsenal lineup vs Bournemouth: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapié; Ødegaard, Zubimendi, Eze; Saka, Jesus, Trossard
Bournemouth vs Arsenal score prediction
Arsenal and Bournemouth have played some close games in recent seasons with the Cherries nicking the three points in both encounters last season. However, with their contrasting form, this one could be a different story.
The Gunners are aiming to extend their lead at the top and know a win at the Vitality is absolutely imperative so will be on their A-game on Saturday evening. On the other hand, the hosts will be hoping Semenyo can have an impact in what is expected to be his final game for the club, but his mind may be distracted by his impending move to City.
Arteta's side should be comfortable victors on the South Coast, seeing out any threat from Bournemouth and providing plenty of problems for their defence to take all three points.