Arsenal vs. Bournemouth Prediction: Gunners Resume Title Fight

Premier League leaders Arsenal are back in action this weekend, as Bournemouth make the trip north to the Emirates Stadium.

• Will Arsenal take another step closer to the Premier League title?

• Can Bournemouth get something from their trip to the capital?

Arsenal vs. Bournemouth Odds

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My +300 Pick for Arsenal vs. Bournemouth 

Go for Arsenal to beat Bournemouth by one goal. There could be some nerves on display from the home team, but they should ultimately get over the line.

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Arsenal Aim to Put Painful EFL Cup Final Defeat Behind Them

It has been a long time since Arsenal played a Premier League game. Last weekend they lost to Southampton in the FA Cup quarter-finals. The weekend before that was an international break. And the weekend before that one, Arsenal faced Manchester City in the EFL Cup final. It did not go well for the Gunners.

Billed as an opportunity for Mikel Arteta’s men to definitively announce themselves as English soccer’s leading force right now, Arsenal instead failed to deliver. After an even first half, they were second best in every department after the interval. Manchester City deserved the 2-0 win that saw them lift the trophy for the fifth time in Pep Guardiola’s silverware-laden tenure.

Once the celebrations were over, the question on everyone’s lips was: would this result have an effect on the Premier League title race? We will get a partial answer to that question this weekend. Arsenal host Bournemouth on Saturday, before Manchester City take on Chelsea on Sunday.

A reminder of the state of play. After City dropped points against Nottingham Forest and West Ham United in March, Arsenal opened up a nine-point lead at the summit of the standings. However, City still have a game in hand on their title rivals, while the two teams will meet at the Etihad Stadium on April 19. If those two matches go in City’s favour, the gap would be down to three points.

Unless events take another twist this weekend, of course. Arsenal were outclassed by City in the EFL Cup final, but you would still rather be in their position in the title fight. And it would be wrong to rewrite history based on what happened at Wembley Stadium. Up to now in this Premier League season, Arsenal have been the most consistent team. The league table is evidence enough of that.

This weekend’s clash with Bournemouth is a test of character as well as quality. If Arsenal emerge triumphant, the pressure will be back on City. If they do not, the nerves at the Emirates Stadium will start jangling once more.

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Bournemouth One of Several Sides Still in European Mix

Naturally, the battle for Europa League and Conference League qualification has not drawn as much attention as the title race, top-five fight or relegation battle. But in its own way, it is just as intriguing. With seven rounds of fixtures remaining, it is also hugely difficult to predict.

The Premier League is set to gain an extra Champions League qualification spot, so the top five in the Premier League will advance to that tournament. That would ordinarily mean Europa League soccer for the fifth-place finisher and a Conference League berth for the side in sixth. However, if the FA Cup winner has already qualified for Europe (as is likely), seventh would be Europa League and eighth would be Conference League.

A glance at the table should therefore show why this battle is wide open. Between Brentford in seventh and Bournemouth in 13th, there is just a four-point gap. Even Crystal Palace in 14th might not be out of it yet: they are seven points shy of the top eight but have a game in hand on the other challengers.

Bournemouth have had a turbulent campaign. They were flying high early on, then went on a long winless streak and were sent hurtling down the standings. However, they have bounced back admirably and are currently on an 11-match unbeaten run. Europe remains a possibility for Andoni Iraola’s men, and that in itself is an achievement for a club of Bournemouth’s size.

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Will Arsenal Get the Job Done or Can Bournemouth Hurt Them?

“We all go into [the international break] with a very hard feeling and pain, and we're going to use that as fuel for the next two months,” Arteta said after the EFL Cup final loss. “We keep going. It's painful not to give [the fans] what they are hoping for and what they were cheering for, but we'll recover from that and go again.”

Having had a month off from the Premier League should actually stand Arsenal in good stead. They will be chomping at the bit to resume their title tilt, especially as a win against Bournemouth would move them 10 points clear of Manchester City, at least until Guardiola’s men face Chelsea on Sunday.

This has the makings of a potential banana skin, however. Bournemouth have shown themselves to be very hard to beat of late, with Arsenal the last team to defeat them in the Premier League back on January 3. 

In their last home game, Arsenal needed two late goals to see off Everton. Bournemouth play in a very different brand of soccer to the Toffees, but in their own way they can be awkward opponents at opposition grounds. The Cherries have also had more time to prepare for this match than Arsenal because they did not play last weekend.

The Gunners will not have everything their own way on Saturday, then. But we do expect them to find a way to collect all three points. Go for a home win by a one-goal margin when Arsenal welcome Bournemouth to the Emirates Stadium in another huge Premier League encounter.

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How to Watch Arsenal vs. Bournemouth

• Teams: Arsenal vs. Bournemouth

• Location: Emirates Stadium, London, England

• Date and Time: Saturday 11th April, 7.30AM ET

• How to Watch: USA Network