Arsenal vs Bournemouth LIVE: Updates and analysis from Emirates ...
Hello and welcome to football.london for live coverage of Arsenal vs Bournemouth from the Emirates Stadium.
The title race is entering its final throws and the benefit the Gunners have no is for the first time in quite some time is the chance of an entire week’s rest. Arsenal have been playing double game weeks for the past month but this time have much more recovery time.
Arsenal could welcome back Jurrien Timber to the squad after he played in back-to-back Under-21s games to the excitement of the fan base. Meanwhile, Andoni Iraola’s side are without Milos Kerkez and Antoine Semenyo through suspension and injury respectively.
Arsenal won 4-0 on the south coast earlier in the campaign but the Cherries have come a long way since then and have been one of the form sides in the league. A win here for many is seen as the toughest challenge remaining for Mikel Arteta despite the trip to Old Trafford next week.
You can follow all of the action from north London in our dedicated live blog below with Tom Canton and Kaya Kaynak . Updates to follow.
10:20Tom Canton
Mikel Arteta still seems to be holding out hope that Arsenal can win the Premier League title. "In my heart and in my soul … this is what I am hoping for, yes," he said when asked if he thinks Manchester City will drop points before the end of the season.
That will of course be immaterial if his Arsenal side can't win all their matches. Many people have Bournemouth down as a banker, but the Cherries would be fifth if the league had started in November. Arteta is not getting too cocky.
"Bournemouth is even more important now we have momentum," the Spaniard said. "We have to keep going, and they [the players] know what is at stake."
It's absolutely essential that Arteta gets his team selection spot on as a result. Here football.london takes a look at who he could pick for the match.
Read the full story here.
10:05Tom Canton
After last weekend's 3-2 win over Spurs, some people seem to have just assumed that Arsenal will win every one of their remaining games this season. It's far from a foregone conclusion though.
If the season started in November, then Bournemouth would be fifth in the Premier League. It's not as easy as people are suggesting and Arsenal can't afford to drop a single point with Manchester City still favourites for the title race.
As a results it's crucial that Mikel Arteta gets his team selection spot on. Thankfully football.london's Arsenal writers are on hand to help out. Here's who they would pick.
Read the full story here.
09:46Tom Canton
Mikel Arteta has admitted that Jurrien Timber could make his long-awaited return from injury when Arsenal take on Bournemouth in the Premier League this weekend.
The Dutch international has been absent since injuring his anterior cruciate ligament on the opening day of the season against Nottingham Forest. After nearly nine months out though he has finally made his return to the pitch over the last few weeks.
Timber played 45 minutes against Blackburn Under-21s last Monday and capped his return with a superb goal. This was followed up by a 70 minute outing against Liverpool Under-21s on Sunday.
Read what Arteta had to say here.
09:35Tom Canton
Arsenal have plans to invest heavily in the squad this summer with multiple positions taking up precedence for Mikel Arteta as he continues to overhaul the squad. Some have questions about why there remains a need to add even more players and replace some who only signed as recently as two years ago.
Gabriel Jesus, for example, is one such player who could leave this summer with the club reportedly open to offers for the Brazilian. The same can be said for Oleksandr Zinchenko who has just two years remaining on his deal with little sign of a renewal on the horizon.
Arsenal have needs in five areas in the summer: central midfield, winger, centre-forward, defence and goalkeeper. They are a result of expected departures but also the simple matter of the level exceeding their relevant contribution.
Read the full story here.
09:22Tom Canton
Read every word from Mikel Arteta's Arsenal press conference ahead of their clash with AFC Bournemouth with news on Jurrien Timber, his thoughts on the title race and the dramatic win over the Cherries last season.
Catch up on it all here.
08:54Tom Canton
Very few Premier League clubs have the luxury of making big decisions on their summer transfer window spending before the current season has concluded.
Manchester City have managed to offload fringe midfielder Tommy Doyle to Wolverhampton Wanderers this week but that is usually the scale of the business that can be done in May as the title run-in accelerates. However, due to an untimely injury, Arsenal can now make a decision on one of their proposed transfer targets - Pedro Neto.
The Wolves star's unfortunate hamstring injury has kept him on the sidelines since March and it has now been confirmed that the 24-year-old has likely played his last minutes of the season. If that is the case, it is now time for Mikel Arteta to make his mind up on what he wants to do about pursuing the winger in the summer.
Read the full story here.
08:45Tom Canton
Arsenal go into the game with Bournemouth knowing they can reopen the four-point gap to Manchester City before Pep Guardiola's side face Wolves at the Etihad Stadium in the late Saturday kick-off. The Cherries are arguably the toughest side the Gunners have left to face despite a trip to Old Trafford next week.
Andoni Iraola has come a long way with his squad since their 4-0 home defeat to Arsenal at the end of September. In fact, from the start of November, only four teams have picked up more points than Bournemouth, who looked destined for the drop at the beginning of the campaign.
The form of Dominik Solanke has been key and he has even seen links made with a switch to north London. However, they will be without Milos Kerkez who is suspended whilst Antoine Semenyo has been excellent for them this season but is now out injured until at least the end of the campaign.
Read who Tom would change ahead of the game here.
Tom Canton
Hello and welcome to football.london for live coverage of Arsenal vs Bournemouth from the Emirates Stadium.
You can follow all of the action from north London in our dedicated live blog below with Tom Canton and Kaya Kaynak . Updates to follow.
