Ex-Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson expects the Gunners to secure the three points against Bournemouth this weekend.

However, writing in his column for Sportskeeda, Merson says he anticipates a pretty nervy game, and he feels manager Mikel Arteta must field the strongest team available to him to get the result:

“You cannot underestimate these teams. If Arsenal end up losing points in such games, it could cost them like last season.”

“I think Arsenal’s quality will come through in the end here though, I expect them to win. But they will have to make changes to the line-up that played against Southampton. If they play that same team, they won’t beat Bournemouth. The more I think, this fixture has banana skin written all over it.”

What score has Merson predicted?

The Sky Sports pundit has gone with a 3-1 victory to Arsenal, which is a scoreline that most supporters would be happy with considering the circumstances.

Playing on a Saturday evening away from home after an international break is never easy and, as Merson points out, Bournemouth are not to be taken lightly.

Will Arsenal have key players missing?

There are doubts hanging over the fitness of Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli heading into the weekend. Usually, all three would be picked in the starting eleven.

With captain Martin Odegaard also absent, Arteta may have to rely on some second-string players if not all of them pass fitness tests. It’s certainly not an ideal situation heading into a fixture that Merson has described as a potential “banana skin”.

Both Saka and Havertz are the likeliest to be available, while there are more concerns about Martinelli. We will find out more in Arteta’s pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon.

Find out who is in Arsenal’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here