Arsenal continue their title challenge with a trip to face a Bournemouth side who have not won any of their past 10 Premier League matches. BBC Sport examines some of the key themes ahead of Saturday's meeting at the Vitality Stadium (17:30 GMT). Bournemouth begin the new year facing the league leaders on their longest winless run in a single campaign in the club's top-flight history.
Arsenal continue their title challenge with a trip to face a Bournemouth side who have not won any of their past 10 Premier League matches.
BBC Sport examines some of the key themes ahead of Saturday's meeting at the Vitality Stadium (17:30 GMT).
Bournemouth's unwanted record
Bournemouth begin the new year facing the league leaders on their longest winless run in a single campaign in the club's top-flight history.
The Cherries have failed to win any of their past 10 league fixtures and, although Andoni Iraola's side came from behind to earn a point at Stamford Bridge last time out, they start 2026 in 15th position in the table having won just five matches so far this season.
Such a downturn in form is perhaps not entirely unexpected for a club who sold 10 players last summer, including three of Bournemouth's preferred back four, at a trading profit of just over £81m.
The south coast club's recruitment has generally been impeccable, although selling your best players on a consistent basis is a strategy likely to come unstuck eventually – and the next departure on that list looks almost certain to be Antoine Semenyo.
The star winger has a £65m release clause in his contract that has become active in the January transfer window, and the home meeting with Arsenal could be his final swansong before leaving Bournemouth – with Manchester City reportedly in negotiations for his services.
Should Semenyo depart as expected this month, a struggling side will be deprived of a key operator at a critical juncture of the season.
Arsenal's good form continues
Bournemouth did the league double over Arsenal in 2024-25 but there are long odds of repeating last season's triumph at the Vitality Stadium, against a visiting side who have lost only once in their past 16 league outings.
Arsenal's 4-1 win against in-form Aston Villa may prove to be a pivotal moment come the end of the season and Manchester City's goalless draw at Sunderland on Thursday evening means that the Gunners ended New Year's Day with a four-point lead at the top of the table.
The title race, however, remains very much alive, according to recent history. This is the sixth time that Arsenal have topped the Premier League table by the end of New Year's Day and in all five previous instances, they failed to win the title.
After games had ended on 1 January 2023, Mikel Arteta's side led by seven points (albeit having played three games fewer) and went on to finish second, five points behind Manchester City.
Arsenal, though, remain tough to beat and ultimately thrashed a Villa side who had won their previous 11 matches in all competitions – despite missing captain Declan Rice due to injury.
Former Premier League forward Clinton Morrison subsequently called Arsenal's squad depth "an absolute joke", referencing the impact of Gabriel Jesus as a substitute since his return from a lengthy injury lay-off in December.
Arsenal can also afford to bolster their numbers in January, with the club "actively looking" at new signings – which could be an ominous prospect for their title rivals.
Category: General Sports
