Arsenal will travel to the Vitality Stadium on Thursday to face Bournemouth in their next Premier League outing, and in what will be the first game for Mikel Arteta as manager of the club.
There is a lot of pressure on Arteta’s shoulders, aggravated by questions on his lack of experience. Also, there is a sizeable gap between Arsenal and the top-four spots, something which the Spaniard needs to address quickly.
The Gunners have been in a shambolic form so far this season, and are 11th in the Premier League table, nine points off the final Champions League spot.
Arsenal Team News
Hector Bellerin is back in training and will be assessed ahead of the upcoming fixture. Dani Ceballos has also returned, while Rob Holding is on his way to full recovery and will also be assessed prior to the Boxing Day game.
Calum Chambers received the fifth booking of the season against the Toffees last weekend, and will face a suspension. Sead Kolasinac is ruled out due to his knee injury and is scheduled to return in January.
Further, Kieran Tierney is expected to be out of action until March, while Gabriel Martinelli is set to face a late fitness test due to his thigh strain. However, Mesut Ozil is available for selection against Eddie Howe’s men.
Predicted Arsenal Lineup vs Bournemouth (4-2-3-1)
Defence
Bernd Leno has been in a rich vein of form so far this campaign, having bailed out Arsenal on many occasions. The German custodian is the undisputed first-choice custodian and is set to keep his place in the Arsenal lineup.
In the absence of Chambers, Sokratis is expected to get the nod to start in the central defence to partner David Luiz in the Arsenal team. Despite their vast experience, they have been error-prone, and the fans will hope Arteta can drill some discipline into the duo.
Bukayo Saka has been used as a makeshift left-back and could start once again. Meanwhile, it will be too soon to rush Bellerin into action, which is why Ainsley Maitland-Niles is likely to feature as the right-back in the Arsenal lineup.
Midfield
Arteta will want to see some energy in the midfield, and is likely to go with Matteo Guendouzi in the Arsenal lineup. The French prodigy is expected to have Lucas Torreira alongside him owing to the bite the Uruguayan brings.
Ozil needs to step up at any cost and considering that the north London outfit are in a desperate need of his creativity. He could find some space to work with against Bournemouth as the Cherries play a more expansive game.
Arteta is acquainted with the former German international, having played alongside him, and it is to be seen how he brings the best out of him.
Attack
Nicolas Pepe and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are expected to feature on the wings. Meanwhile, Alexandre Lacazette’s finishing will be key against Bournemouth, and he is likely to lead the line.
