Arsenal vs Bournemouth Prediction: A less nervy win expected for the Gunners

Arsenal are back in Premier League action on Saturday (TNT Sports, 12:30) as they welcome AFC Bournemouth to the Emirates Stadium, looking to build on their derby day victory over Tottenham Hotspur last weekend. It did get nervy for the Gunners as Spurs came from three goals down to 3-2 late on, but Mikel Arteta's men stood firm.

They have now won three on the bounce but they must be wary as the Cherries have won their last two, but those victories came against far lesser opposition in Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brighton & Hove Albion. I'm expecting another good day for Arsenal, which has made my Arsenal vs Bournemouth predictions fairly straightforward to write.

Match Odds

Arsenal are the overwhelming 1/6 favourites to win this match, giving them an implied probability of 85.7%. Bournemouth are valued at 10/1 to pull off an upset in north London, which gives only a 9.1% chance. The draw can be backed at 11/2 (15.4%).

Both teams to score is on offer at 4/5 and over 2.5 goals is 1/3.

Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka has scored 15 goals in the Premier League this year and he is priced at 9/2 to open the scoring on Saturday.

Team News

Defender Jurrien Timber could be in contention to return to the Gunners' squad for the first time since the opening day of the season, having been sidelined with an ACL injury. The Dutchman has been featuring for the under-21s recently and will be pushing for a spot in Arteta's team for the final weeks of the campaign.

Other than that, Arsenal have no fresh injury concerns, which will boost their chances of keeping up their momentum in the title race for the final weeks of term.

Bournemouth are waiting to see the extent of the damage for Antoine Semenyo's knee injury that he sustained in the 3-0 win over Brighton last time out. Illia Zabarnyi could be in line to return after being ill last week, while Milos Kerkez is unavailable due to suspension.

Ryan Fredericks, Tyler Adams, Chris Mepham, Romain Favre and Marcus Tavernier are likely to remain sidelined, while Luis Sinisterra has definitely been ruled out for the rest of the season.

Arsenal to win to nil @ 11/10

Arsenal have been a very impressive team this season and for all their offensive quality, it would be nothing without their defensive solidity. The centre-back pairing of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes is arguably the best in the division and they have made the Gunners difficult to score against.

The Gunners have kept 16 clean sheets this season, four more than Everton in second with 12, and have only conceded 28 goals all year. They have completed five shut-outs in their last seven appearances in the league and I fancy them to register another on home soil against the Cherries.

Bournemouth may be perked up by their two recent wins but they have found consistency an issue this year, and it won't help them when they face the best defence in the league this weekend.

#PickYourPunt - Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka anytime goalscorers @ 3/1

I think there will be goals to be had for the Gunners in this one as they are the top scorers in the league with 85, while Bournemouth have conceded a whopping 60 goals. Two players who have scored the most for Arsenal in the league this year are Saka and Kai Havertz with 15 and 12 respectively.

To help offer a better price on this game, I have put together a bet builder of the two players to score anytime which pays at an enticing 3/1. The pair were on the scoresheet at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last weekend and Havertz has now netted three goals in his last two appearances, both against London rivals in Spurs and Chelsea.

I fancy the Gunners to strengthen their impressive 57 goal difference at the Emirates on Saturday and these two stars are the best bets to deliver the goods.

Betfred are running their famed Double Delight & Hat-trick Heaven offer on this match, meaning that if a player scores first and then nets again, you will be paid at double the odds. If he grabs a hat-trick, you will be paid at treble the odds!