AFC Bournemouth has managed to stay in the Premier League for two straight seasons against really all odds. This is a team that is really getting outspent in relation to basically the rest of the teams in the top flight in England, and a match like this one against Arsenal really highlights the fact that there are massive differences in budgets between the two squads.
This English Premier League duel will go down Tuesday, January 3, 2016, at 2:45 p.m. ET at Dean Court. The match will be televised live on NBC Sports Network.
Soccer Odds at BookMaker.eu
Bournemouth +335
Arsenal -120
Draw +275
Over/Under 2.5
Odds Analysis
We sort of dogged the Cherries at the top of this, but let's not forget that this is a team that has already beaten Liverpool this season at Dean Court and has five wins in nine home matches this year.
Bournemouth is a big underdog for sure at +335, but when you compare it to some of the other teams towards the bottom of the EPL table, it's clear that this margin isn't as big as some of the other ones we would see in this fixture with a team like Hull City or Swansea City at home.
Arsenal is an odds-on favorite at -120, and it's basically a little better than 50/50 to get all three points or not.
Key Injuries
Theo Walcott didn't play on New Year's Day for Arsenal against Crystal Palace, and it's starting to seem unlikely that he plays in this match as well. Mesut Ozil was sick for the match against CP. Will he be back two days later? Kieran Gibbs is 50/50 thanks to a knee injury, while Mohamed Elneny is playing in the Africa Cup of Nations and isn't available for selection at all this week. We already know that Mathieu Debuchy, Santiago Cazorla and Chuba Akpom are all out for the Gunners as well.
Jack Wilshere is playing here at Bournemouth while on loan from Arsenal and is ineligible for this match. Marc Pugh and Lewis Cook are both out of the fold as well.
Recent Form
Bournemouth was having a rough holiday season going into New Year's Eve. The team was beaten 3-1 at home by Southampton and 3-0 on the road against Chelsea around Christmas. Fortunately for the Cherries, 2016 went out in much better fashion with a 3-0 win over struggling Swansea City.
Arsenal played on the other side of the holiday on New Year's Day, and what its fans were blessed with was a stunning scorpion kick goal by Olivier Giroud, one of the most clinical finishers that we have in the Premier League. It was all a part of a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace, marking consecutive wins after consecutive losses to Everton and Manchester City on the road.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
The Gunners aren't quite at full strength here, but what we've seen out of the big boys on this roster shows us that this team is still one of the toughest to beat in England. Arsenal at home though, is far different than Arsenal on the road. The Gunners have been beaten in consecutive matches away from the Emirates, and Dean Court is an incredibly tough place to play.
Is Bournemouth going to win this match? We have a tough time seeing it. But is it beyond getting a point at home in this one? We don't think so. Callum Wilson and Joshua King are both in good form at the moment up front, and one of those two could end up finding the answer to what could be one of these matches that never quite feels over even though Arsenal might lead a good chunk of the way.
English Premier League Odds: Bournemouth 1, Arsenal 1
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