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Arsenal are set to play Bournemouth on Boxing Day and it will be Mikel Arteta's first game in charge of the Gunners. The Spaniard was in the stands when Arsenal drew with Everton at Goodison Park, but he has since taken over Freddie Ljungberg's duties.
It will be interesting to see what formation Arteta adopts and how his arrival will impact the morale of the squad. With a long injury list and barely any time to evoke significant changes, the 37-year-old has to make the best out of what he currently has.
This will be a huge test for Arteta who will be eager to prove that he is the right choice for the job.
Bournemouth vs Arsenal Head-to-Head
The two sides have faced each other 10 times with Arsenal winning eight of them. Their only defeat to Eddie Howe's side came in January 2018.
Arsenal have performed poorly this season, winning just once in their last 13 games. Due to their poor run, the North London team are currently at the bottom half of the table. Before the Sunday fixtures are played, the Cherries are 14th in the Premier League table after losing to Burnley.
Bournemouth form guide: L-W-L-L-L
Arsenal form guide: D-L-W-D-L
Bournemouth vs Arsenal Team News
Arteta will be without his left-backs Kieran Tierney and Sead Kolasinac when Arsenal travel to the Vitality Stadium. The latter suffered an ankle injury during the defeat to Manchester City and will be out until January.
The latest update on Dani Ceballos states that he is targeting a return to training before the match against Bournemouth. Since he has not played for some time, the midfielder could be left out of the game. Additionally, Mesut Ozil, who missed the draw with Everton remains a doubt for this upcoming match. Sokratis Papastathopoulos was suspended for the previous game but he will now be available for selection.
Injuries: Kieran Tierney (shoulder), Sead Kolasinac (ankle)
Doubts: Mesut Ozil (foot), Hector Bellerin (hamstring), Rob Holding (knee), Dani Ceballos (hamstring)
Suspensions: None
Bournemouth vs Arsenal Predicted XI
Arsenal Predicted XI: Bernd Leno; Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Calum Chambers, David Luiz, Bukayo Saka; Granit Xhaka, Lucas Torreira, Joe Willock; Nicolas Pepe, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Gabriel Martinelli
Bournemouth vs Arsenal Prediction
Neither team have been convincing lately. Similar to the draw with Everton, Arsenal could deliver yet another lacklustre performance. None of the 10 fixtures between the two sides ended goalless, so fans can expect a few goals to be scored.
Verdict: Bournemouth 1-1 Arsenal
Also Read: 5 players Mikel Arteta could target as Arsenal manager
