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Arsenal responded to recent adversity by beating Sporting CP in the Champions League in midweek, and now Mikel Arteta\u2019s team\u2019s attentions turn back to their pursuit of the Premier League title as they entertain Bournemouth at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.<\/strong><\/p>\n After losing the Carabao Cup final to Manchester City and being dumped out of the FA Cup by Championship side Southampton, the pressure was on Arteta and his players to return to winning ways in Lisbon on Tuesday. They just about managed to do so, courtesy of a late winner from Kai Havertz.<\/p>\n The German made an intelligent run into the box in the 91st<\/sup>-minute and was found by an excellent clipped pass from Gabriel Martinelli, before slotting beyond Rui Silva. While they will be delighted with the result at the Jose Alvalade Stadium, Arsenal certainly weren\u2019t at their best and will need to play significantly better between now and the end of the season if they are to claim silverware.<\/p>\n However, despite some of the negative noise surrounding recent performances, the Gunners have a golden opportunity to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table to 12 points when the Cherries visit N5 on Saturday. Arteta\u2019s men host Bournemouth over 24 hours before Manchester City travel to West London to take on Chelsea.<\/p>\n Thus, this has the potential to be a hugely pivotal weekend in the title race, and the Gunners could find themselves in a seemingly unassailable position before they visit the Etihad next Sunday.<\/p>\n In the reverse fixture between Arsenal and Bournemouth back in January, the North Londoners claimed all three points in an enthralling game on the south coast. A brace from Declan Rice and a goal from Gabriel Magalhaes cancelled out strikes from Junior Kroupi and Evanilson for the home team.<\/p>\n This was Andoni Iraola\u2019s side\u2019s last defeat in the league, and thus, this Saturday\u2019s clash in Islington will be a stern test for Arsenal.<\/p>\n Arsenal continue to have to contend with a plethora of injury issues. A number of their key players have missed matches recently and are still fighting to return to full fitness.<\/p>\n Bukayo Saka hasn\u2019t been seen since the Carabao Cup final before the international break, and Arteta has been coy whenever asked about the winger\u2019s availability. Fears over the Gunners\u2019 talisman\u2019s fitness status were exacerbated on Thursday when he wasn\u2019t pictured in training.<\/p>\n Full-back duo Jurrien Timber and Piero Hincapie have also been absent since the international break, although there is reportedly hope that both players will make a return soon.<\/p>\n Aside from long-term absentee Mikel Merino, the majority of the rest of the Gunners\u2019 squad should be fit to feature against Bournemouth. That said, Riccardo Calafiori and Martin Odegaard also weren\u2019t spotted in Thursday\u2019s training session, raising doubts over their potential involvement in the clash.<\/p>\n Arteta\u2019s press conference on Friday should provide more clarity over a number of these players.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Eberechi Eze returned to training this week after a calf injury kept him out of the previous three matches, and he could be in contention to feature on Saturday.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n Date<\/strong><\/td>\n Result<\/strong><\/td>\n Competition<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 03\/01\/2026<\/td>\n Bournemouth 2-3 Arsenal<\/strong><\/td>\n Premier League<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 03\/05\/2025<\/td>\n Arsenal<\/strong> 1-2 Bournemouth<\/td>\n Premier League<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 19\/10\/2024<\/td>\n Bournemouth 2-0 Arsenal<\/strong><\/td>\n Premier League<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 03\/05\/2024<\/td>\n Arsenal<\/strong> 3-0 Bournemouth<\/td>\n Premier League<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 29\/09\/2023<\/td>\n Bournemouth 0-4 Arsenal<\/strong><\/td>\n Premier League<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n Arsenal vs Bournemouth team news, Bukayo Saka injury update<\/strong><\/h2>\n