Bournemouth pair Joshua King and Junior Stanislas
face fitness tests, having been sidelined in recent
weeks with hamstring injuries.
Jermain Defoe and Tyrone Mings are back in training
but remain unavailable.
Former Bournemouth loanee Jack Wilshere could be
involved for Arsenal as the ankle injury he suffered in
the League Cup is not as bad as first feared.
Mesut Ozil is a major doubt with a knee injury but
Aaron Ramsey and Sead Kolasanic are both fit again.
How Arsène Wenger, who will again be peering from
the stands, would love a victory after the nightmare
in Nottingham. Arsenal are winless in four in all
competitions – their longest barren run since a streak
of five starting in February 2016 – and that could
easily continue. Eddie Howe can count on making
chances with ease against Wenger’s notional defence
and that could be enough as the burden of Arsenal’s
successes may no longer be able to lie squarely on
Alexis Sánchez’s shoulders. The dream of an easier life
in Manchester may prove too much of a distraction
even if he does play.