Arsenal vs Bournemouth preview: Team news and form guide for Saturday early kick-off
By Luke Oluoch, April 10, 2026The race for the 2025/26 Premier League title intensifies this weekend as league action resumes with match week 32 fixtures on Saturday, April 11, 2026.
This comes after a lengthy break in international action, followed by an upset-filled round of FA Cup quarter-final action.
Heading the final decisive fixtures, Arsenal enjoys a solid nine-point cushion after 31 games, placing the Londoners in line for a first major silverware since lifting the FA Cup in 2020 under Mikel Arteta.
Early kickoff
Arsenal will host AFC Bournemouth in an early Saturday kickoff at 2:30 pm as they seek to take advantage of taking to the pitch earlier and widen the gap between them and Manchester City.
Citizens will face Chelsea on Sunday, April 12, 2026.
Unbeaten streaks
The fixture comes with its own intrigue, with the visitors taking a record of an unbeaten 11-game streak to Arsenal on a four-game run.
Ranked 13th on the pile, the Cherries seemed to have mastered the art of draws, with their recent outcomes against Manchester United, Burnley, and Brentford all ending in stalemates.
First win at Arsenal
Andoni Iraola’s men are eager to continue their winning run at the Emirates, where they broke their duck with a first top-flight away win over Arsenal last season.
Evanilson and Dean Huijsen struck in the second half in a 2-1 comeback victory.
The first leg match-up, however, affirmed Arsenal’s dominance in the fixture. On January 3, 2026, Arsenal mounted a fightback to emerge 2-3 winners, cementing their dominance in this fixture.
Mikel Arteta’s side boast an overall winning margin, winning seven of their eight meetings at the Emirates.
They also have the least injury worries to contend with, Piero Hincapie, and Mikel Merino, who are ruled out of the tie
Teams news
Out: Piero Hincapie (unspecified), Mikel Merino (foot)
Doubtful: Bukayo Saka (unspecified), Eberechi Eze (calf), Jurrien Timber (groin)
Out: Justin Kluivert (knee), Julio Soler (thigh)
Doubtful: Lewis Cook (thigh), Tyler Adams (unspecified),
Possible starting 11
Arsenal: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Havertz, Zubimendi, Rice; Madueke, Gyokeres, Martinelli
Bournemouth: Petrovic; Jimenez, Hill, Senesi, Truffert; Christie, Scott; Rayan, Kroupi, Tavernier; Evanilson