Arsenal vs. Bournemouth match thread: the home stretch
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 11: General view inside the stadium as grounds staff work on the pitch prior to the Premier League match between Arsenal and Bournemouth at Emirates Stadium on April 11, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Burstow/Arsenal FC via Getty Images) | Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal host Bournemouth at the Emirates to kick off the final run of matches to close out the season. Seven games stand between the Gunners and their first Premier League title in more than two decades.
Arsenal’s magic number is 16 points for them to pick up / have Manchester City drop (or 15 points plus maintaining the +7 GD advantage). But the Cherries aren’t going to go quietly. Mikel Arteta’s good friend Andoni Iraola’s side have been a major thorn in the side.
Bournemouth managed the double over Arsenal last season and pushed the Gunners in January before falling 3-2. The Cherries are a deceptive 13th in the table, both on their own merit and because the middle of the pack is so crowded. A mere four points separates them from 7th place and a place in the Europa Conference League.
Bournemouth haven’t lost a match since facing Arsenal in January. Unfortunately for them, they’ve also struggled to win matches, managing a 4-7-0 record since that tilt. Overall, they’ve played to 15 draws, the most in the Premier League and just three off the all-time record for a PL season.
Their defending has let them down. They’ve conceded the 6th-most goals in the Premier League this season. That is kind of what you’d expect from a side that sold three of their four starting defenders from the previous year (Zabarnyi to PSG, Huijsen to Real Madrid, and Kerkez to Liverpool).