Arsenal picked up a second win in a row to usher in the New Year at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, defeating Crystal Palace 2-0.
It was a win that saw them move up to third at the expense of Manchester City, but with Liverpool and Chelsea both in fine form, it’s never been more important to extend that winning run to three.
The north Londoners visit the Cherries on Tuesday night hoping to do just that in their second game in two days. Bournemouth have had an extra day’s rest having played on Saturday, so the fixture is a tricky one for Arsene Wenger.
It’s the last game for Arsenal before a Premier League break to take part in the FA Cup and they’ll be desperate not to be cut adrift completely from the title race before having to turn attention to another competition.
This is the Arsenal XI that we think can pick up a vital win on Tuesday night…
GK: Petr Cech
Two clean sheets in a row for Petr Cech has finally plugged the deluge of goals Arsenal had been conceding in months previous. The Gunners had gone eight games without a clean sheet before the visit of West Brom to the Emirates on Boxing Day.
The Arsenal goalkeeper will retain his place against Bournemouth going for three clean sheets in a row – which may not be so easy given that Bournemouth scored three goals away from home on Saturday.
RB: Hector Bellerin
Bellerin has played in every game since returning from injury against Stoke last month. Like rest of the Arsenal team, he struggled to perform against Everton and Man City but has looked much more like his usual self in the two matches since.
He’s one of the hardest workers in the Arsenal team on that right-hand side. With 96 touches of the ball against Crystal Palace, only Granit Xhaka in the heart of that midfield got on the ball more.
That’s the kind of energy required on Tuesday night.
CB: Gabriel Paulista
With Skodran Mustafi still a doubt due to a hamstring problem picked up against Everton, we may see Gabriel start again in the heart of defence for Arsenal.
Replacing Mustafi hasn’t been plain sailing for the Brazilian, losing two of the four games since, but he did look in good form at home to Palace on New Years Day.
He made 13 clearances that afternoon, not giving the Eagles a sniff at goal in a comfortable 2-0 win.
CB: Laurent Koscielny
Koscielny is one of the Premier League’s most outstanding defenders, especially in the role that Wenger asks of him. His exceptional ability on the ball is as much as an asset as his defensive work off it, always offering a pass to his teammates and providing the platform for wave after wave of Arsenal attack.
He’ll be heartened that the defence around him has stepped up to his level in the last two games and will be looking to lead them through another clean sheet.
LB: Nacho Monreal
Nacho Monreal has made the left-back position his own at Arsenal. His solid defensive work will be needed against what is often a lively and spirited Cherries side at the Vitality Stadium..
Bournemouth might fancy their chances against Monreal, who is probably the weakest link in Arsenal’s defence, so Gunners fans will be hoping he can up his performance levels and make the Arsenal backline watertight.
CM: Granit Xhaka
Granit Xhaka has been the maestro of Arsenal’s midfield in the last two games, touching the ball more than any other player in both matches.
He keeps the play moving, recycles possession and springs his more creative teammates forward with accurate passing from left to right, back to front.
His defensive midfield play will be crucial against the Cherries. They’re likely to want the game to be played at a frantic, end-to-end pace and Xhaka has the ability to enforce a more measured approach -something that would suit Arsenal massively.
CM: Francis Coquelin
With Mohamed Elneny off to the African Cup of Nations to represent Egypt, Francis Coquelin will most likely come back into the team alongside Xhaka.
The Frenchman has been a decent performer for Wenger this season but like others in the team has struggled to put a string of displays together over a sustained period of time.
In good form at home to West Brom on Boxing Day, however, he can follow that up against Bournemouth. Like Xhaka, he has many defensive attributes but can also take the ball forward and find his teammates in the final third.
AMR: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Oxlade-Chamberlain hasn’t started for Arsenal since the defeat away to Everton but it’s time for him to come back into the team and show what he can do against Charlie Daniels of Bournemouth.
The Cherries’ left-back can be got at and if on top form, Oxlade-Chamberlain can take apart most full-backs in the Premier League.
Arsenal fans will be hoping to see the kind of performance that the England international put in against West Ham in early December, scoring and assisting in a monster 5-1 win.
AM: Alex Iwobi
Alex Iwobi played an excellent supporting role for Olivier Giroud through the middle against Crystal Palace and with Mesut Ozil still a doubt for Tuesday’s game due to illness, we could see the youngster continue there for the second game in a row.
The 20-year-old got on the scoresheet against Palace to bag his third goal in 6 games, his talent finally flourishing after a goalless season up to the first of those three against Basel.
The Palace game was undoubtedly his finest performance of the season to date and Gunners fans must be curious about what his best position actually is – on the left or through the middle.
AML: Alexis Sanchez
Alexis Sanchez played a more traditional left-wing role against Palace but looked every bit as effective as his performances at the front of the Arsenal attack this season. It was his lovely cross that found Olivier Giroud for Arsenal’s first and he was a constant thorn in the Eagles’ side all day.
His dribbling ability and direct nature took centre stage, with Arsenal not having to rely on his exceptional and deadly finishing for once.
He could play the same role against Bournemouth with Ozil not guaranteed to feature and our next starter reaching peak form.
ST: Olivier Giroud
After spending the entirety of December on the bench, Giroud returned to the Arsenal line-up on Boxing Day and quickly showed Wenger he hadn’t missed a beat with a vital winner against West Brom.
He scored his second in two games against Palace with an exquisite goal of the season contender, a back-heel ‘scorpion’ volley that went in off the underside of the bar.
It’s the kind of finish that can only be applied by a player in peak form and it may ensure he retains his starting place away to Bournemouth, looking for his third in three games and eighth of the season overall.
