Key events
Elsewhere in the Premier League: Wolves have finally won their first match of the season, scoring three without reply against sorry West Ham at Molineux. In news to make those of us who remember his Leeds United debut as a 16-year-old feel truly ancient, James Milner celebrated his 40th birthday by helping Brighton to a 2-0 win over Burnley, while Aston Villa got back to winning ways by beating Nottingham Forest 3-1 at Villa Park in today’s early kick-off. Wolves remain 12 points adrift of safety at the bottom of the table but today’s results mean life is looking a lot less bleak for Rob Edwards’ side now than it did first thing this morning.
Those teams: Bournemouth’s team is identical to that which started against Chelsea in midweek, with Antoine Semenyo making his 100th and possibly final appearance for the club. Having recovered from a neck injury, Lewis Cook is among the substitutes.
Arsenal make three changes to the side that started against Aston Villa. Back from a knee injury, Declan Rice comes in for Mikel Merino. There are starts for Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli, who start in place of Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard. Kai Havertz is not in the matchday squad but Arsenal staff have assured inquisitors that there is nothing wrong with him, but “his workload” is being managed.
Bournemouth v Arsenal line-ups
Bournemouth: Petrovic, Jimenez, Hill, Senesi, Truffert, Scott, Tavernier, Brooks, Kluivert, Semenyo, Evanilson.
Subs: Forster, Cook, Soler, Smith, Diakite, Adli, Kroupi, Unal, Rees-Dottin.
Arsenal: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie, Zubimendi, Rice, Odegaard, Madueke, Martinelli, Gyokeres.
Subs: Kepa, White, Saka, Jesus, Eze, Norgaard, Trossard. Merino, Lewis-Skelly.
Team news: Declan Rice is fit enough to start in midfield for Arsenal, while Bukayo Saka is on the bench and Kai Havertz is given the day off. Antoine Semenyo takes his place in the Bournemouth starting XI. We’ll have the full line-ups very shortly …
Arsenal: Mikel Arteta believes his team are ready to banish the unwanted statistic of not winning the Premier League title on the five previous occasions they have begun the new year top of the table. Ed Aarons reports …
Arsenal’s January transfer plans: “We are open to every option,” said Arteta upon being quizzed on the matter yesterday. “Obviously, if we can find a solution that is short, medium or long. It’s always much better because it gives you stability and you don’t have to constantly start a process with a new player. But let’s see what happens, let’s see what the news is in the next few weeks, and we’ll try to make the right decision.”
Arsenal are one of several clubs to have been linked with Real Madrid winger Rodrygo but the La Liga heavyweights may be reluctant to let the Brazilian go anywhere in the January window following the news that Kylian Mbappe has suffered a knee injury, the seriousness of which remains unclear.
Antoine Semenyo: While the Bournemouth winger is expected to move to Manchester City sooner rather than later this month, at his pre-match presser, Iraola said nothing has been set in stone .. yet. “No, there is nothing signed,” he told reporters. “For sure, there are conversations and I understand a lot of the noise around, but there is nothing signed.
“Antoine is our player. We want to keep him. He is playing very well and doing the right things. He is a top professional, a top guy. He wants to help the team and his team-mates and I have no doubts that he will do his best. I have no doubts with him. He is being a top professional and I’m sure he will be until the last day.”
Today’s match officials
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Referee: Chris Kavanagh
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Assistants: Dan Cook and Ian Hussin
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Fourth official: Lewis Smith
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VAR: Paul Tierney
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Assistant VAR: Marc Perry
Early team news
Having missed Arsenal’s win over Villa with a swollen knee, Declan Rice could return for today’s game but will face a fitness test. “Let’s see how he comes and how that’s feeling,” said Mikel Arteta yesterday. “The Aston Villa game was too early for him.” Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Riccardo Calafiori have been ruled out, while Max Dowman, who reached the ripe old age of 16 on New Year’s Eve, is also sidelined.
Despite appearing to bid farewell to Bournemouth fans following their midweek draw with Chelsea, Antoine Semenyo looks likely to play this evening and is also expected to be available for Bournemouth’s next match against Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday. “Yes, Antoine is going to play in this match,” said Iraloa yesterday. “I think the idea at least is that he’s going to be available for these two games that we have in a very short turnaround.”
Ben Gannon-Doak, Ryan Christie, Tyler Adams and Veljko Milosavljevic have all been ruled out, while Lewis Cook will have to pass a late fitness test after missing the draw with Chelsea. “With Lewis, we are still waiting,” said Iraola. “It’s his neck and the pain that he feels. He will try to train today and we will see. Hopefully he will be available for tomorrow.”
Premier League Bournemouth v Arsenal
To the Vitality Stadium, for today’s New Year clash between Bournemouth and Arsenal. Mikel Arteta’s side arrive on the South Coast sitting pretty at the top of the table, four points clear and buoyed by a midweek 4-1 dismantling of Aston Villa. They face hosts who are winless in 10 top flight matches (five draws, five defeats) but are somewhat of a bogey side for Arsenal, having pulled off an impressive league double against them last season.
Arsenal’s win over Villa marked their fourth in a row in the Premier League but they have won just one of their past four on the road, having dropped points away at Villa, Chelsea and Sunderland. Bournemouth’s last win came over two months ago against Nottingham Forest, a victory that sent them second in the Premier League. They have since plummeted to 15th. Kick-off today is at 5.30pm (GMT) but stay tuned in the meantime for team news and build-up.
