Charles Jackson
With three games to go, Arsenal remain emphatically in the title race and will be hoping to establish a four-point lead in Saturday’s first game. Ideally for Mikel Arteta, they wouldn’t do it as dramatically as last season, when Reiss Nelson’s 98th-minute volley broke Bournemouth’s hearts.
That goal meant Arsenal have a six-game, six-win record against Bournemouth but have rarely faced a version of the Cherries in the form they have achieved in recent weeks. A 3-0 win over Brighton last time out means Andoni Iraola’s side have achieved their Premier League points record. Three more wins may not be enough to reach the European places, but Bournemouth will certainly try. Here’s how you can watch the game and what you need to know.
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Viewing information
- Date: Saturday, May 4th | Time: 7:30 a.m. ET
- Location: Emirates Stadium – London
- TELEVISION: USA | Live broadcast: Fubo (Try it for free)
- Chances: Armory -550; Draw: +650; Bournemouth +1100
Plots
Arsenal: The finish line is in sight for Arteta’s side, who responded to setbacks against Aston Villa and Bayern Munich in comprehensive fashion, defeating Wolves, Chelsea and Tottenham by an aggregate margin of 10-2. They survived a powerful comeback against the latter on Sunday in a manner that suggested the nerves that struck them in the closing weeks of last season had been banished 12 months later.
Likewise, it helps a lot that this time Arteta may have a fully capable squad to choose from. Jurrien Timber has played twice for the Under-21s as he recovers from the anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered on the opening weekend, and has been training this week with the aim of being part of the squad to face Bournemouth.
Bournemouth: It’s hard to believe that just a few months ago there was speculation about Andoni Iraola’s future at the Vitality Stadium after a difficult start to the season. Since their first win of the season against Burnley on October 28, Bournemouth are fifth in the Premier League for goal difference and points and, by a considerable margin, have the fourth-best non-penalty expected goal difference in the league.
After a brief wobble at the start of the year, Bournemouth have really been on a roll lately. Since the start of March, 10 league games have yielded 20 points, with just two defeats to Luton Town and Aston Villa. They may have left it too late for the European venues, but this will unquestionably be seen as a year of progress on the south coast, a year that Iraola hopes to carry through to 2024-25.
“It doesn’t matter how we finish because the next season is normally always more difficult because the level normally improves, especially in the Premier League where we see how the league is becoming more and more powerful,” he said. “But I want to finish strong because I also want to finish at the top of the table.”
Prediction
This is unlikely to be easy for Arsenal, but in recent weeks they have shown they are ready to rise to the occasion. They can do it again. CHOICE: Arsenal 2, Bournemouth 1
