Arsenal take on Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium tonight, knowing a win for Arsene Wenger’s men would see them go from fourth to third place in the Premier League table and six points adrift of Chelsea, who play Spurs on Wednesday.
Bournemouth, on the other hand, currently sit ninth and have been in good form as of late and will be looking to get one over on the Gunners having lost to them 3-1 at the end of November.
So, courtesy of OPTA, here are 10 things you should know about both sides ahead of kick-off:
1. Callum Wilson’s penalty in the reverse fixture at the Emirates was Bournemouth’s first ever competitive goal against Arsenal.
2. Arsenal have won all four of their previous meetings with Bournemouth in all competitions, scoring 10 goals and conceding just one.
3. Mesut Ozil has scored twice and assisted another in his three previous Premier League games against Bournemouth.
4. Bournemouth have conceded two or more goals in three of their last four at the Vitality Stadium (W2 L2).
5. The Cherries have won five of their last eight Premier League home games – the same tally that they managed in their first 20 games at home in the competition.
6. The Gunners have lost their last two Premier League away games 1-2, each time losing from a winning position; they haven’t lost three in a row since October 2011.
7. Both teams have got on the scoresheet in seven of Arsenal’s last eight Premier League matches on the road.
8. No Bournemouth player has more assists (7) or chances created (54) than defender Charlie Daniels in the Premier League.
9. Alexis Sanchez has scored nine goals and assisted three more in nine Premier League away appearances this season.
10. In fact, Sanchez is only one goal away from equalling his best ever season tally of goals away from home in a European top-flight league (10 for Udinese in 2010-11).
