Arsenal proceed their title problem with a visit to face a Bournemouth facet who haven’t gained any of their previous 10 Premier League matches.
BBC Sport examines a number of the key themes forward of Saturday’s assembly on the Vitality Stadium (17:30 GMT).
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Bournemouth’s undesirable file
Bournemouth start the brand new 12 months going through the league leaders on their longest winless run in a single marketing campaign within the membership’s top-flight historical past.
The Cherries have did not win any of their previous 10 league fixtures and, though Andoni Iraola’s facet got here from behind to earn a degree at Stamford Bridge final trip, they begin 2026 in fifteenth place within the desk having gained simply 5 matches to date this season.
Such a downturn in kind is probably not totally surprising for a membership who bought 10 gamers final summer time, together with three of Bournemouth’s most popular again 4, at a buying and selling revenue of simply over £81m.
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The south coast membership’s recruitment has usually been impeccable, though promoting your greatest gamers on a constant foundation is a technique prone to come unstuck ultimately – and the following departure on that record appears virtually sure to be Antoine Semenyo.
The star winger has a £65m launch clause in his contract that has turn into lively within the January switch window, and the house assembly with Arsenal might be his last swansong earlier than leaving Bournemouth – with Manchester Metropolis reportedly in negotiations for his companies.
Ought to Semenyo depart as anticipated this month, a struggling facet can be disadvantaged of a key operator at a crucial juncture of the season.
Antoine Semenyo has been Bournemouth’s star performer this season [BBC]
Arsenal’s good kind continues
Bournemouth did the league double over Arsenal in 2024-25 however there are lengthy odds of repeating final season’s triumph on the Vitality Stadium, towards a visiting facet who’ve misplaced solely as soon as of their previous 16 league outings.
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Arsenal’s 4-1 win towards in-form Aston Villa might show to be a pivotal second come the tip of the season and Manchester Metropolis’s goalless draw at Sunderland on Thursday night signifies that the Gunners ended New 12 months’s Day with a four-point lead on the prime of the desk.
The title race, nevertheless, stays very a lot alive, in keeping with current historical past. That is the sixth time that Arsenal have topped the Premier League desk by the tip of New 12 months’s Day and in all 5 earlier cases, they did not win the title.
Arsenal are but to show a lead at this stage of the season right into a Premier League title [BBC]
After video games had ended on 1 January 2023, Mikel Arteta’s facet led by seven factors (albeit having performed three video games fewer) and went on to complete second, 5 factors behind Manchester Metropolis.
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Arsenal, although, stay powerful to beat and finally thrashed a Villa facet who had gained their earlier 11 matches in all competitions – regardless of lacking captain Declan Rice because of damage.
Former Premier League ahead Clinton Morrison subsequently known as Arsenal’s squad depth “an absolute joke”, referencing the impression of Gabriel Jesus as an alternative since his return from a prolonged damage lay-off in December.
Arsenal can even afford to bolster their numbers in January, with the membership “actively trying” at new signings – which might be an ominous prospect for his or her title rivals.