Saka starts, Martinelli misses out, Timber decision made – Arsenal predicted XI vs Bournemouth
football.london takes a look at how Mikel Arteta could line the Gunners side up for their Premier League clash with Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium
Mikel Arteta was knocking on wood before the international break hoping for better injury luck this time around. It did not do the trick.
The Arsenal manager has no fewer than six injury doubts heading into Saturday’s clash with Bournemouth. Kieran Tierney, Martin Odegaard and Takehiro Tomiyasu are definitely out of the game, while late decisions will be made on Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Ben White, Jurrien Timber and Oleksandr Zinchenko. Goalkeeper Neto is also ineligible to play against his parent club, reducing Arteta’s options even further.
Still though, the Spaniard will know that he cannot afford to slip up. Manchester City and Liverpool are already setting the pace at the top of the Premier League, and it’s crucial that Arsenal don’t drop points.
Arteta also has a midweek Champions League match against Shakhtar Donetsk to consider, and with all that going on, it’s absolutely vital that he gets his team selection right. Here’s who football.london are expecting the Spaniard to start at the Vitality Stadium.
William Saliba has fond memories of a superb goal at Bournemouth two years ago where his chant was born. He’ll be hoping to hear a lot more of it back at the Vitality Stadium this time around.
Mikel Arteta will be hoping his list of Arsenal injury doubts decreases significantly in time for their Premier League clash away to Bournemouth. The Gunners return to domestic action on Saturday evening at Vitality Stadium following the second international break of the 2024/25 season.
From seven games played, Arsenal sit on 15 points having won five games and drawn the other two with their unbeaten start to the league season also carrying over into the Champions League and Carabao Cup.
