Bournemouth vs Arsenal preview: What time does it start, what TV channel is it on and where can I watch it?
A look ahead to the Premier League fixture at Dean Court
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Your support makes all the difference.Arsenal travel to the south coast to face Bournemouth for the second time this season, looking to jump back into third place in the Premier League.
Victory for Manchester City saw them jump ahead of Arsene Wenger’s side while United’s victory saw them close to within a point of the Gunners prior to kick off at the Vitality Stadium.
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It’s a big game for…
Alexis Sanchez: The tricky Chilean is Arsenal’s most influential player, and against an entertaining Bournemouth side, the Gunners will need him to be at his best. Since Arsenal’s 5-1 demolition of West Ham at the beginning of the month, Sanchez has only netted a solitary goal, in a 2-1 defeat to Everton at Goodison Park.
Best stat…
0: Bournemouth have faced Arsenal four times in their history and have failed to pick up a win, losing all four.
Remember when…
Arsenal have already faced Bournemouth this season as the Gunners recorded a 3-1 home victory. Sanchez capitalised on a defensive mistake to put them 1-0 up before Callum Wilson netted a penalty to level the terms. Second half goals from Theo Walcott and Sanchez sealed the win for the hosts.
Player to watch…
Benik Afobe: The former Wolves striker is a live wire in the box and Arsenal’s centre-backs will have to frustrate himto keep him quiet. Afobe has bagged two goals in his last five Premier League games, one being last time out in the 3-0 win away at Swansea, and the 23-year-old will want to build on that here against Arsenal.
Past three meetings…
Arsenal 3 (Sanchez 2, Walcott) Bournemouth 1 (Wilson), Premier League, November 2016
Bournemouth 0 Arsenal 2 (Ozil, Oxlade-Chamberlain), Premier League, February 2016]
Arsenal 2 (Gabriel, Ozil) Bournemouth 0, Premier League, December 2015
Form guide…
BOURNEMOUTH: WLWLLW
ARSENAL: WWLLWW
Vital information…
KICK-OFF: 19:45, Tuesday 3rd January 2017
TV: Sky Sports 1
Odds…
BOURNEMOUTH TO WIN: 15/4
ARSENAL TO WIN: 5/6
DRAW: 29/10
(Odds provided by Betfair)
20 mins: PENALTY TO BOURNEMOUTH!
It's going from bad to worse for the Gunners! More Arsenal carelessness on that left flank saw Ryan Fraser dart in between Granit Xhaka, and the Swiss international was determined not to make the same mistake Bellerin did. Instead, he made a different one and as Fraser moved just inside the area, the Arsenal midfielder barged him in the back to leave him flat on his front. Michael Oliver took a moment to determine the absurdity of what he had just witnessed, and then correctly pointed to the spot. This will be a big moment.
21 mins: GOAL! BOURNEMOUTH 2 ARSENAL 0:
Callum Wilson scores from 12 yards! It wasn't the most convincing of strikes from the Bournemouth forward, but it has ended up in the back of the net and that's all that county. As Petr Cech dived to his left, Wilson scuffed his shot ever so slightly left of middle and just evaded the Arsenal goalkeeper's diving foot. Eddie Howe's men lead by two!
24 mins: Arsene Wenger is fondly recalling the year that was 2016. Never mind the public voting for economic disaster and all those celebrity deaths, Arsenal never found themselves 2-0 down at a ground that holds just over 11,000 back then. But if he thought this couldn't get any worse, he was wrong. His midfielder Francis Coquelin has gone down injured and looks as though he is unable to play any further part tonight.
28 mins: And that proved to be the case. The Frenchman hobbled off and presumably out into the nighttime to look for an Uber back to London. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is on in his place. Can the young Englishman help his rabble rescue something from this rubble?
29 mins: Better from the visitors. Alexis Sanchez's clever attempt on the turn has Artur Boruc scampering to turn it around the post.
32 mins: Worse from the visitors. Bellerin is booked for a clumsy foul on Fraser.
35 mins: "Terrific play again from Bournemouth" beams Niall Quinn, and who am I to argue? Once again, it's this near left side that the Cherries are targeting where Fraser, Daniels and Nathan Ake are indulging in some lovely one-touch passing. This latest move ends with Harry Arter taking aim from the edge of the box, but the midfielder screws his shot wide of the far post.
39 mins: Arsenal are desperately trying to get themselves back into the match before the break but are having little joy in getting there forwards in on the action. Olivier Giroud has been starved of service in attack while Alexis Sanchez is cutting a frustrated figure. Alex Iwobi attempts to make something happen in the box, but is crowded out by a flood of red shirts.
43 mins: Charlie Daniels and Ryan Fraser are doing much to end Hector Bellerin's reputation as a top class defender tonight. Admittedly the Spaniard has had no support from his teammates on that side, but the ease with which the two Bournemouth men are finding space is alarming.
45+2 mins: In the second of three minutes injury time, Stanislas nearly makes it 3-0. The forward has been excellent in this first half and would have been well deserving if his dipping 20 yards shot has crept inside Cech's left-hand post rather than just outside. Arsenal survive. For now.
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