English Premier

2026-04-11 - Arsenal vs Bournemouth

A Sports Betting Pick by Auls

Arsenal v Bournemouth
Football: English Premier League
Saturday 11th April 2026 - Kick Off 12:30pm
This game is live on TV

Arsenal

It was not the most convincing performance, but Mikel Arteta will have felt his team had done just enough to deserve to bring the Champions League Quarter Final back to North London with a positive result. Instead Arsenal managed to score in injury time to take control of the tie against Sporting and they can finally return to Premier League action with a good looking result under the belt.

Two defeats either side of the March international break would have been a cause for concern, but Arsenal are still very much in with a chance of winning at least one of the big two competitions they entered at the start of the season. The Gunners are top of the Premier League table and with a 9 point lead over Manchester City and they will be concentrated on improving the 12-2-1 record at the Emirates Stadium to at least maintain that gap ahead of the trip to the North West next weekend.

Arsenal had suffered the back to back defeats to Manchester City and Southampton in the League Cup Final and FA Cup Quarter Final, but the late winner in Lisbon will have just given the squad a shot of confidence. They have won all 7 games played at home in all competitions since Arsenal's surprising loss to Manchester United in January.

The manager has stated that he is hoping Jurrien Timber and Bukayo Saka are both available for this fixture on Saturday.

Bournemouth

Draws have been holding Bournemouth back from really pushing up the Premier League table and Andoni Iraola will be hoping the three week break between games can help his team rediscover a stronger cutting edge. He will be pleased with some of the defensive efforts, but Bournemouth will need more in the final third if they are going to nab a late European berth for next season.

They may be 13th in the Premier League table, but Bournemouth are only 4 points behind Brentford in the top seven and there is every chance that the top eight teams will all have European Football rewarded to them. This is a tough return to action for Bournemouth who have a 3-7-5 away record in the top flight this season.

Bournemouth are unbeaten in 11 Premier League games, but 6 of the last 7 have ended in draws, including the last 5 in a row. The Cherries won consecutive away Premier League games at Wolves and Everton, but Bournemouth have been forced to settle for consecutive away goalless draws at relegation threatened West Ham United and Burnley since then.

Lewis Cook, Tyler Adams and Eli Kroupi are all hoping to be available for selection, but Justin Kluivert is expected back in early May.

Head to Head

A back and forth game at the Vitality Stadium ended 2-3 in favour to Arsenal in early January and it is the last time Bournemouth have suffered a defeat.

Bournemouth did the League double over Arsenal last season which included a first ever win in a game hosted by The Gunners.

Arsenal had won all 8 games at home against Bournemouth before the 1-2 defeat in May 2025.

Prediction

There have definitely been one or two signs of a long season catching up with Arsenal, but the win at Sporting Lisbon may have just reminded the players of how well they have done up to this stage of the campaign.

Domestic Cup defeats will have been a disappointment, but Arsenal remain strong favourites to win the Premier League and will feel they have a firm grip of earning a spot in the Champions League Semi Final.

Mikel Arteta will not want to see his team offer Manchester City any encouragement as they play before their main title rivals this weekend and Arsenal should have enough to see off Bournemouth.

Credit has to be given to Bournemouth for putting a long unbeaten run together, but they have drawn a lot of recent matches and that has prevented them from moving up the Premier League table as Andoni Iraola would have hoped. Getting this club into Europe remains the ambition, even if the manager is not yet committed to Bournemouth beyond the end of the season, but Bournemouth need to find a bit more composure in the final third.

It has been the main reason they had to settle for draws with Brentford and Burnley recently, although Bournemouth will be expected to be tested by this Arsenal attack, even if some changes are made.

The last couple of away games have ended goalless, but Bournemouth fans will recognise they were fortunate at West Ham United, while Burnley created some decent chances against them. The same can be said in wins at Wolves and Everton and giving up those opportunities to Arsenal will likely end in yet another defeat here.

Prior to last season, Bournemouth had lost all 8 visits to Arsenal, but they had posed problems in some matches. They ended that run with a come from behind win at the Emirates Stadium in early May 2025, but that was against an Arsenal team focusing on other matters and it will be tough to do that against an opponent chasing the title.

Andoni Iraola's setup likely means Bournemouth have some chances, but Arsenal have won 7 in a row at home in all competitions and have won the last couple of games here by the same 2-0 scoreline. That looks a real player here and Arsenal can pick up the three points by covering the Asian Handicap line set for the opening Saturday fixture in the English Premier League.