While their title rivals face what might be tough tests this weekend, Arsenal can hope to open up further daylight between themselves and the rest of the field when they welcome Bournemouth to the Emirates Stadium. On the six occasions that the Cherries have travelled to north London in the past they have lost each time making an aggregate score of 17-2 in Arsenal's favor. History does not look any more favorable for Bournemouth when it comes to meeting the Premier League leaders, their eight matches bringing eight wins and 27 goals for the team at the top of the table.
Statistical quirks are one thing, but the form book might all the more concerning for a side that has won just one of their last nine in the Premier League. Arsenal, meanwhile, are riding on the back of three straight wins that have given them a five point lead at the top of the Premier League. With Manchester City due to face Newcastle earlier on Saturday and Manchester United, some way behind the top two but not out of it yet, to play Liverpool, this may be a weekend where Arsenal extend their lead. Here is how you can watch the match and what you need to know.
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Viewing information
- Date: Saturday, March 4 | Time: 10 a.m. ET
- Location: Emirates Stadium -- London
- Live stream: Peacock Premium
- Odds: Arsenal -450; Draw +500; Bournemouth +1200 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Storylines
Arsenal: It long seemed to be Arsene Wenger's dream that his midfielders and wide forwards chipped in with double figures in goals to ease the burden on his strikers, but all too often injuries and the vagaries of form kept that from being realized. Under Mikel Arteta it is now a reality. Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka cleared 10 goals with their strikes in a 4-0 win over Everton on Wednesday, Martin Odegaard is also not far behind with Gabriel Jesus due to return before the international break. Add into the mix Eddie Nketiah and Leandro Trossard and there are plenty of avenues to goals in this Arsenal team.
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Bournemouth: If the Cherries are to somehow win at the Emirates Stadium, it may well be the case that Hamed Traore has a big part to play. The Ivorian international has been a revelation since arriving from Sassuolo, creating an average of nearly three chances per 90 minutes for Gary O'Neil's side. If he were to carry on in this form over more minutes he would sit just below Kevin De Bruyne, Kieran Trippier and Bruno Fernandes in a ranking of the Premier League's most creative players.
The £20 million they will have to pay for his signature in the summer looks to be a snip and it certainly will be if he can keep Bournemouth in the top flight. They are currently a point from safety but results have not been kind to them of late; with Liverpool to come after Arsenal, it may be that this is a period where the best thing to do is hope that their relegation rivals don't expand the gap too far.
Prediction
Arsenal ought to find this one rather comfortable and perhaps should have an eye on eating into Manchester City's goal difference advantage. PICK: Arsenal 3, Bournemouth 0
