AFC Bournemouth v Arsenal

Match preview

11 Jan 2018
Joshua King, AFC Bournemouth
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AFC Bournemouth's Joshua King and Junior Stanislas (both thigh) have a chance of featuring having both returned to training this week. 

Jermain Defoe (ankle) and Tyrone Mings (back) are long-term absentees.

Arsenal's Jack Wilshere has an ankle injury but has not been ruled out of Sunday's match. 

Aaron Ramsey (thigh) is back in the squad but Mesut Ozil (knee) remains doubtful and Sead Kolasinac (ankle) has only a small chance. Olivier Giroud (thigh), Laurent Koscielny (Achilles) and Nacho Monreal (ankle) are still sidelined.  

Did you know?

Arsenal fought from 3-0 down to earn a point in this exact fixture last season, the only time they’ve ever come back from such a deficit in the Premier League.

AFC Bournemouth won their last home league match, against Everton, but have not won back-to-back Premier League matches at Vitality Stadium since March 2017.

Only Chelsea (13) have scored more headed goals than Arsenal (9) in the Premier League this season, while no side have conceded more headers than the Cherries (9).

AFC Bournemouth have lost 10 of their 13 Premier League matches played on a Sunday (W1 D2 L10).

What the managers say

Eddie Howe: "It was a great game last year. You saw our quality for the first 60 minutes and then you saw Arsenal's quality. Their second goal was incredible."

See: Defoe fitness update

Arsene Wenger: "It is massive. We have been distracted by the cups but now we must come back to the Premier League. It is a very big game."

See: Wenger on Sanchez future

Referee: Kevin Friend
Assistants: Harry Lennard, Matthew Wilkes
Fourth official: Lee Probert

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