Quantcast
Home   >   Match   >   Confirmed line-ups: Bournemouth vs Arsenal – Saka out, Madueke starts

Confirmed line-ups: Bournemouth vs Arsenal – Saka out, Madueke starts

By on January 3, 2026

Arsenal can extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table to six points with a win over Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium this evening.

Tuesday’s 4-1 win over Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium cemented our place at the summit. Villa have now leapfrogged City into second spot after beating Forest earlier today and they sit just three points adrift.

With Man City playing Chelsea on Sunday, this is an excellent opportunity for Arsenal to extend their lead to six points – and seven over City – so we can’t afford to slip up on the South Coast tonight.

David Raya keeps goal once again for Arsenal while Gabriel Magalhaes is fit to start alongside William Saliba in the middle of defence despite being forced off with cramp in midweek. Jurrien Timber and Piero Hincapie keep their places in the full-back positions so Ben White and Myles Lewis-Skelly remain among the subs.

Martin Zubimendi holds the midfield for the Gunners while Declan Rice is fit to return after missing the win over Villa with a knee problem. Martin Odegaard captains the side once again so Eberechi Eze remains on the bench.

Bukayo Saka is given a rest as he’s dropped to the bench while Leandro Trossard also makes way despite his excellent performance against Villa. Gabriel Martinelli and Noni Madueke come in on the wings.

Viktor Gyokeres keeps his place up front so Gabriel Jesus is among the Arsenal substitutes despite scoring off the bench last time out. Kai Havertz hasn’t travelled as he continues to build on his fitness.

These are the teams:

Arsenal

Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie, Zubimendi, Rice, Odegaard, Madueke, Martinelli, Gyokeres.

Subs: Arrizabalaga, White, Lewis-Skelly, Norgaard, Merino, Eze, Saka, Trossard, Jesus.

Bournemouth

Petrovic; Jimenez, Hill, Senesi, Truffert; Tavernier, Scott; Brooks, Kluivert, Semenyo; Evanilson

Subs: Forster, Cook, Soler, Smith, Diakite, Adli, Kroupi, Unal, Rees-Dottin