Football Results

The match comes for the Gunners after four-game winless streak of three draws and one defeat, while their rival won one and drew three matches in the same period. On the other hand, Arsenal won four out of their five last head-to-heads, including the one played last autumn when they won at the Emirates stadium by 3-0.

Bournemouth

Last year Bournemouth managed to pull off a draw 3-2 at its stadium with the Gunners and now their fans are secretly hoping that their team can do something similar. On top of it they were not defeated in last four matches; in the league they won Everton and drew with West Ham at Dean Court, and drew in Brighton, while last weekend they merely drew at home with second-division Wigan 2-2 in the third round of FA Cup.

However, despite three-game unbeaten streak in the league Bournemouth has just one point more than teams in the drop zone, and will quite surely give its maximum to avoid losing to Arsenal. To achieve something like that they have to play much better defence than in several previous matches when they received by two goals per match. Regarding problems with absences, on the list of injured players are currently defender Mings, midfielder Stanislas and forwards Defoe and King.

Arsenal

We have said in the introduction that the guests from London come to Dorset being in a bit weaker shape given they drew three and lost one out of four previous matches. The defeat was suffered in the third round of FA Cup by second-division Nottingham Forrest 4-2, but we should bear in mind that coach Wenger had sent Arsenal reserve team on the pitch in that match. In the league the Gunners drew away with West Bromwich and Chelsea at home, and they also played a goalless draw with the Blues in the first semi-final match of the League Cup.

Of course, it is a very good result for the Gunners as the 2nd leg will be played at their Emirates but only after they play two league matches, with Bournemouth away and Crystal Palace at home. After two consecutive draws Arsenal moved down in the table and right now occupies the sixth place and have two points fewer than fifth-placed Tottenham and five fewer than fourth-positioned Liverpool. Let’s add that due to injuries still out of action defenders Koscielny, Monreal and Kolasinec, midfiedlers Ramsey and Cazorla, and forward Giroud.

Verdict

Although Bournemouth can feel the heat coming from the relegation zone we have decided to play here on victory of the guests from London, given they started to lag more and more in the race toward position that lead to the Champions League.

Pick: Arsenal 1.78 - 39/50 @1XBet