Game Week 32 Predictions: Arsenal to beat Bournemouth

Arsenal vs Bournemouth preview: Crunch time at Emirates as Gunners chase Premier League title amid injuries & The Cherries draw streak

Arsenal must shake off niggles and fear when they face unpredictable Bournemouth as the Premier League hits crunch time. (Photo credit: Opta)

 Arsenal vs Bournemouth

Emirates Stadium

12:30pm

It's crunch time for Arsenal. It's time to show that they deserve the Premier League title; no excuses, no complacency. This is the 2025/2026 run-in.

Arsenal hit a rough patch at the wrong time. The Gunners lost the cup final to Manchester City and then lost the FA Cup quarterfinal clash at Southampton; the late win in Lisbon in midweek calmed nerves, but the Gunners must leave no stone unturned in the league.

Bournemouth is a team you can't predict. The Cherries have played out five straight draws, and such a result could be a great one for them on the balance of the size of their opponents. Arsenal must be wary of a damaging stalemate.

Andoni Iraiola is one of the most sought-after managers in Europe this summer. Athletic Bilbao and Manchester United have both been linked to the Spaniard. He would love to see Bournemouth finish as high as possible on the log before evaluating where he goes next season.

Arsenal planted one foot in the semifinal of the Champions League after they beat Sporting Lisbon in midweek. It was a win that came at the death, but it was enough to see Arsenal players and fans gain some confidence after the back-to-back defeats in cup competitions.

With just seven games for the Gunners to play and a nine-point advantage over their closest rivals, Arsenal has just one job: to keep winning their games until the title is theirs. Impossibility is nothing at this point for Arsenal; they must be brave.

Martin Odegaard is injured again. Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber are both unavailable for this one, with the latter pushing for a return at home against Sporting. Piero Hincapie trained on Friday and is available for selection, as is Eberechi Eze.

Justin Kluivert and Lewis Cook are both unavailable for the visitors. Tyler Adams' fitness is one to watch, as the young midfielder can give Arsenal a good run in the middle of the park. Rayan and Amine Adli are two players the Gunners must be wary of on the flanks with their pace and trickery.

Declan Rice owned the first leg of this fixture at the Vitality Stadium. The England midfielder has been top-tier for Arsenal this season. Arsenal would keep an eye on the midweek return leg against Sporting, but they must prioritize this one immensely.

Verdict: Arsenal to win