Arsenal will take on Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday afternoon hoping to return to winning ways following three successive stalemates in the league against Crystal Palace, Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers respectively.
However, it won’t be easy for the visitors to secure a positive result at Vitality Stadium which has been a fortress for Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth team this season. The Cherries have been scoring goals for fun in front of their home supporters so they would be a real handful for the Gunners this weekend.
Unai Emery is expected to line up his team in a 4-2-3-1 formation and might keep changes to a minimum for this important league encounter at Dorset.
4-2-3-1 Arsenal Predicted Lineup To Face Bournemouth
Defence
Bernd Leno will be the goalkeeper in Emery’s starting XI once again following a run of outstanding displays in goal for the North London outfit before the international break.
The central defensive pairing of Shkodran Mustafi and Rob Holding might line up ahead of the German keeper for this upcoming Premier League clash against the Cherries. Sead Kolašinac should be asked to fill in at left-back following a solid showing versus Liverpool earlier this month. Hector Bellerin would look to use his quickness and agility on the right side of the Arsenal backline.
Nacho Monreal is a significant doubt for this encounter at the Vitality Stadium and would be in a race against time to be fit for this weekend’s clash.
Unai Emery’s men have not kept a clean sheet in each of their last five matches in the Premier League. Thus, the Arsenal defenders would be in a for a tough day out dealing with the threat of Bournemouth’s terrific front four of Ryan Fraser, David Brooks, Junior Stanislas and Callum Wilson.
Midfield
The Gunners manager could start with the midfield duo of Lucas Torreira and Granit Xhaka who would both be tasked with protecting the backline while also establishing the away side’s dominance at the centre of the park.
The in-form trio of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Mesut Ozil and Alex Iwobi should start ahead of them as part of Emery’s attack. Matteo Guendouzi should start from the bench for this match.
Attack
Alexandre Lacazette will play as the lone striker up top on Sunday. The Frenchman has had a dip in form in recent weeks so he needs to start scoring soon or else the Gunners might struggle to get a result at Bournemouth this weekend.
