Arsenal take on Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth in their first fixture of 2026 and the Cherries gaffer has just confirmed some bad news for the Gunners.
Mikel Arteta’s side will go into the fixture in high confidence anyway given they hammered Aston Villa this week themselves.
However, a trip to Bournemouth is never easy and with a tight title race getting ever more nervy as Man City find their stride – despite yesterday’s stalemate with Sunderland – Arsenal can ill afford to drop any more points.
What’s your prediction for Bournemouth vs Arsenal and who do you think will score the first goal?
The Cherries, of course, have their own worries this January as star man Antoine Semenyo looks to be on his way, coincidentally, to Man City.
But in a bitter blow to Arsenal for tomorrow’s fixture, Andoni Iraola has confirmed that Semenyo will, in fact, be part of his squad.
Antoine Semenyo set to play for Bournemouth in big blow to Arsenal
Mikel Arteta will probably say the focus is on what his team do and in a way, he is right. If Arsenal play to their max here, they will win the game.
However, there is always an eye on the opponent and even the greatest managers will admit that seeing your opposition be without a key player is a big boost.
Unfortunately for Arteta and Arsenal, this will not be the case with Bournemouth and Semenyo this weekend.
“Yes, Antoine is going to play in this match,” Iraola confirmed in his pre-match press conference.
“No, no. I think the idea at least that he’s going to be available in these two home games in a short turnaround. I hope he can be here for more time. But I don’t know what’s going to be happen.
“That’s not the idea [that it’s Semenyo’s last match]. The market is open, you never know what’s going to happen. I cannot control things, but right now I don’t think so.
“There is nothing signed. For sure there are conversations, I understand the noise around but Antoine is our player. I hope to keep him for a lot of time, I want to keep him for a lot of time. But I don’t know what’s going to happen.
“He’s playing very well. He’s doing the right things, a top professional and top guy. He wants to help the team and team-mates, I have no doubts that he will do his best, there are no doubts with him.”
Could Antoine Semenyo be pivotal in the Premier League title race?
It seems pretty crazy to think that one individual player in the Premier League could impact the title race without featuring for either team this year as yet, but here we are with Antoine Semenyo.
On the eve of the clash with Arsenal and with a move to Man City almost certain, Semenyo has the chance to dent a major blow in Arsenal’s title hopes while at the same time, helping his new club out.
Arsenal will be well aware of the qualities Semenyo brings to the table and in another season, he’d very much be the sort of player Mikel Arteta would be looking to sign.
Watch these Ruben Neves goals and tell us how much you would pay to sign him for Arsenal!
The Gunners need to navigate this fixture the best they can and hope Semenyo has an off day.
If he does have a big day and helps Bournemouth to a result, before going on to help City in the second half of the season, he will have one of the biggest individual impacts on the title race in Premier League history.
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