Arsenal vs Bournemouth. Premier League.
Emirates StadiumAttendance59,983.
Tuesday 29 December 2015 09:48, UK
Arsene Wenger could make changes as Arsenal look to get back to winning ways against Bournemouth.
The Gunners suffered a 4-0 defeat at Southampton on Boxing Day but boss Wenger was impressed by substitutes Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Calum Chambers and Alex Iwobi.
Bournemouth are on an unbeaten run of six games and the Cherries have won on five of their last six league trips to London, including beating Chelsea earlier this season.
Team news
Alexis Sanchez (hamstring), Jack Wilshere (leg) and Mikel Arteta (calf) remain sidelined, as do Francis Coquelin, Danny Welbeck, Santi Cazorla and Tomas Rosicky (all knee).
Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe will make a late decision on whether to include Harry Arter in the squad.
Arter was brought off at half-time in the Boxing Day goalless draw with Crystal Palace after he picked up an early yellow card and Howe said it was to "manage his workload" after recovering from a hamstring injury picked up at the end of November.
Lee Tomlin could return from a groin/pelvic injury but Josh King (hamstring) will not be fit to return before the New Year.
Opta stats
The Gunners are unbeaten in their last 21 Premier League meetings with newly-promoted opposition (W17 D4).
This will be only the second-ever competitive meeting between Arsenal and Bournemouth. The only previous meeting between the two sides was a League Cup third round tie in 1987/88 that saw Arsenal prevail 3-0 thanks to goals from Alan Smith, Kevin Richardson and Michael Thomas.
Bournemouth will become Arsenal's 80th different opponent in league football in this match.
Arsenal have not lost their final Premier League game in a calendar year since 2006; when they lost 0-1 away at Sheffield United.
Arsenal have scored in each of their last 29 Premier League games against newly-promoted opposition.
Arsenal's last Premier League defeat against a newly-promoted side was in March 2012 in a 1-2 away loss to Queens Park Rangers.
Arsenal have won 16 points from a possible 18 in their last six Premier League home games (W5 D1 L0).
Merson's prediction
Arsenal were flying, and then they go and get beat badly by Southampton. They still won't have a better chance to win the league than this season, and with that in mind, I do not see Bournemouth getting anything at the Emirates.
Wenger will want a response from his side, and while the Gunners might concede, I think they'll win relatively comfortably.
PAUL PREDICTS: 3-1 (10/1 with Sky Bet)
Betting
Arsenal are the shortest-priced favourites of the day at just 4/9 with Sky Bet as Bournemouth go up against odds of 6/1 to win and 7/2 to hold their hosts to a draw. The Gunners' Boxing Day thumping at Southampton saw them lose favouritism for the Premier League title, drifting from 4/5 to 11/8. Olivier Giroud heads the first goalscorer betting at 100/30 while the Soccer Saturday pundits are tipping Theo Walcott to net first at 4/1 in their Sky Bet tips.
