Arsenal vs AFC Bournemouth Predictions

• Bournemouth have lost six of eight visits to top-half teams, failing to score in all six defeats
• The Cherries have lost all eight clashes against the Premier League leaders, conceding 27 times
• The visitors have the worst form and worst defence in the top-flight as it stands
• Arsenal have already claimed two wins by 4+ goals at home this term

Gunners look back to their best

Level at 2-2 with minutes to go at Villa Park, Arsenal’s title challenge looked to be in trouble. Off the back of a four-game winless run it looked like a familiar fall from grace for the Gunners until a late one-two punch secured a 4-2 victory. Mikel Arteta’s men haven’t looked back in the two games since.

Arsenal are five points clear at the top once again, producing two very different wins which are equally demanded of title contenders. First, they got a gritty 1-0 victory at a dogged Leicester side. Days later they swatted away Everton, hitting four goals in a routine win which didn’t push the league leaders too far out of their comfort zone.

Saturday’s clash with Bournemouth looks set to be more of the latter than the former. This is the league leaders up against an out of form side with a woeful away record. As a result, the hosts could run riot.

Dire run for Bournemouth

Bournemouth have won just one of their last nine Premier League games (D2 L6) and they have won fewer points (5) and scored fewer goals (4) than any other side in the competition since the World Cup break. They have also conceded a league-high 48 Premier League goals this season.

While their results have been bad, their record against top sides is the biggest issue they face. The visitors have lost six of eight meetings with sides in the top-half, with each of those defeats coming to nil. Among those defeats the Cherries lost 4-0 at Man City, 3-0 at United and 9-0 to Liverpool.

The visitors head into this one having lost all eight of their Premier League games against teams starting the day top of the table, conceding 27 goals in the process.

It’s hard to see this ending well for the visitors, who have already lost by three or more on five occasions this term. Meanwhile, Arsenal have already record two wins by at least four goals at home this term and this could be the easiest game they face at the Emirates this season. With that in mind, back the leaders to cover a -2 handicap, which is well priced considering the gulf between the pair.

Odegaard can punish Cherries again

As far as goalscorer options go, they’re lining up for Arsenal at the minute. Bukayo Saka is in great form, while Gabriel Martinelli has hit another purple patch of form. However, the man I’m looking to in this clash has already punished Bournemouth once this season.

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has been involved in seven goals in his last six meetings with promoted sides in the Premier League. In that run, he scored five and assisted two. The midfielder has scored in all three clashes with the promoted sides this term, including a brace at Bournemouth in the reverse fixture. He’s a great value option to add to that streak.

Arsenal have won all six of their home games against Bournemouth in all competitions, running up an aggregate score of 17-2 along the way. With back-to-back clean sheets behind them look to the Gunners to shut down the Cherries in this one given that the visitors have scored just 0.8 goals per away game. With the Gunners in scoring form and considering their attacking options, back a 5-0 home win.

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