Bournemouth and Arsenal to provide high drama at Dean Court

Premier League
Sky Sports Premier League & Main Event, 1.30pm Sunday

Bournemouth and Arsenal are better going forward than they are defensively and that should lead to a high-scoring encounter at Dean Court.

The betting market is against Arsenal, who opened up as odds-on shots for maximum points and have drifted ever since, and it is difficult to place much faith in the unbalanced Gunners.

Instead, it may pay to back both teams to score in a game featuring three or more goals, a bet which has landed in three of the last four meetings.

Arsenal are making progress under Unai Emery and head to Dorset on a run of 16 matches unbeaten in all competitions with their only losses coming on the opening two weekends of the Premier League campaign to Manchester City and Chelsea.

There's no shame in either defeat, but the only win in the last five fixtures was a 2-1 success over Sky Bet League One outfit Blackpool at home in the League Cup and they have drawn each of their last three league encounters.

Wolves will be kicking themselves after dominating at the Emirates last time out before conceding late on to be pegged back in a 1-1 draw, although the fact Arsenal were outplayed showed Emery remains a long way from finding the perfect solution even if the Londoners are on the right path.

They still bag goals - only City have stopped them from scoring in this season's Premier League - and that should come as no surprise with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette supplied by Mesut Ozil.

However, for all the praise heading the way of midfield anchor Lucas Torreira, and for all that partner Granit Xhaka has been more consistent this season, Arsenal are vulnerable defensively.

They have not kept an away clean sheet in the league and heading into this round of fixtures no team had overachieved more on expected goals than Arsenal, which probably explains the lack of market confidence.

Bournemouth have suffered successive defeats to Manchester United and Newcastle, both by a 2-1 scoreline, and both will have frustrated boss Eddie Howe. They started brilliantly against United and were unable to hold on before starting awfully at Newcastle and then falling short of launching a successful comeback.

Howe rarely takes a backwards step so expect an open game. Bournemouth, who are four points inferior to Arsenal, possess plenty of firepower in the final third with David Brooks, Ryan Fraser, Callum Wilson and the fit-again Josh King.

It is unlikely classy Cherries centre-back Nathan Ake will be able to repel all of Arsenal's attacks and this should be a match featuring goals at both ends.

Recommendation
Both teams to score & over 2.5 goals
1pt 4-6 general

Bet on this match at Soccerbase.com

Team news
Bournemouth
Josh King should return and Jefferson Lerma is expected to be available. Adam Smith is ruled out and Junior Stanislas remains doubtful.

Arsenal
Nacho Monreal, Laurent Koscielny, Konstantinos Mavropanos and Danny Welbeck are out, while Stephan Lichtsteiner is a doubt.

Key stat
Arsenal have not been leading at half-time in any Premier League match this season.

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