Bournemouth welcome Arsenal to the Vitaly Stadium as both teams battle it out for a spot in the FA Cup Fifth Round.
Bournemouth will be hoping to condemn Arsenal to a third consecutive season in which the Gunners failed to reach the Fifth Round, which last happened during a barren four season run between the 1993-94 to 1996-97 seasons.
Team news
Embed from Getty ImagesJunior Stanislas could return for Bournemouth after missing their last three matches with a calf injury.
Arnaut Danjuma (foot), Jack Stacey and Joshua King (both hamstring) are ruled out but are expected to return within the next few weeks.
Charlie Daniels. Chris Mepham (both knee) and David Brooks (ankle) remain sidelined indefinitely, with no return date set for within the foreseeable future.
Arsenal will be without David Luiz as he serves an one match ban after being sent off against Chelsea last week.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (suspension), Sead Kolasinac (thigh), Reiss Nelson (hamstring), Kieran Tierney (shoulder) and Calum Chambers (knee) are also ruled out of this match.
Stat Attack
- This is the first ever FA Cup meeting between these teams, although Arsenal won their only previous Cup meeting in a 3-0 League Cup victory at Highbury in October 1987.
- Bournemouth have won just two of 12 previous FA Cup meetings against ‘Big Six’ teams (W2, D3, L7), of which both wins came at home against Tottenham and Manchester United in 1956-57 and 1983-84 seasons respectively.
- Arsenal have lost just one of their last five FA Cup away games (excluding games at Wembley) despite scoring in all five matches (W4, L1).
- Bournemouth have lost two of their last three Fourth Round matches, of which both came against then Premier League opposition in Liverpool (2013-14) and Aston Villa (2014-15).
- Each of Arsenal’s last two permanent managers (Arsene Wenger & Unai Emery) lost their Fourth Round tie in their maiden FA Cup campaigns, of which both took place at home against Leeds and Manchester United respectively.
Prediction
Given the defensive fragilities of both teams, I am expecting goals here and especially given that both teams have scored in three of four previous meetings here.
Bournemouth were just clinical in midweek against Brighton in terms of attack and constantly pressing the Seagulls down, which is surely a concern for Arsenal given their defensive woes plus Aubameyang’s continued absence up front.
I therefore wouldn’t be surprised if we see this go to a replay but Bournemouth can boost their confidence with a huge scalp, so I am going for a home win given the poor form of Arsenal managers in their maiden FA Cup campaigns on top of defensive issues.
Prediction: Bournemouth 2-1 Arsenal
Result: Bournemouth 1-2 Arsenal