Three talking points ahead of AFC Bournemouth v Arsenal

Mikel Arteta’s Gunners top the division by a five-point margin over Manchester City, a side who dished out a 4-1 beating to Cherries last time out.

The Dorset club have lost each time they have visited the Emirates since first being promoted to the Premier League in 2015, winning just one of their 13 encounters with the Gunners in total.

Can Cherries dent Arsenal’s title hopes, and bolster their survival chances in the meantime? Here are three talking points ahead of the game.

Five at the back?

Gary O’Neil detailed how he decided to switch to a five-man central defence in order to match Manchester City’s front five last time out.

A lot of comparisons have been drawn between the similarities in the systems used by Pep Guardiola at the Etihad and his protegee Mikel Arteta at Arsenal, with the Gunners also attacking with a clear group of five.

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As such, following O’Neil’s logic used for the tactical switch against City, there is the possibility Cherries will again line up in with five at the back, in a bid to match the Gunners’ front five.

However, O’Neil would not confirm either way, telling the Daily Echo: “I feel like Mikel has enough going for him already without me telling him what the game plan is going to be tomorrow. That would be a silly idea.

“I mean, I felt it fitted against Manchester City. I felt being at home as well, it could create an energy, and I thought it did, but we had some other issues within it.

“It's always an option to be aggressive, to go to the Emirates, be front foot, see if you can catch them, it is an option, definitely.”

Arsenal cruised to a 4-0 win over one of Cherries’ relegation rivals, Everton, in their most recent Premier League game, with Toffees boss Sean Dyche utilising a back four, with right-winger Alex Iwobi tucking in to form a back five when needed.

O’Neil identified this, sharing how he thought sides ended up in a “back six” when having to defend against Arsenal’s frontline.

“Commenting on what others have done, watched Everton there in the week, frustrated them for a little while, 35 minutes or so, did very well.

“Everton went there as a back four.

“As you generally do against good sides that load the top line with five, they end up in a back six, which is generally what happens.

“But, yeah, lots of different ways of going about it. Let's see tomorrow at 3 o’clock, which way we go with.”

Fredericks' time to shine?

Another similarity between Arsenal and City is how they deploy a back four that quickly morphs into a three-man defence when in attack, a full-back cutting inside to effectively become a central-midfielder.

Whilst Guardiola usually has his right-back, now Rico Lewis, float forward, with his left-back, usually former Cherry Nathan Ake, tucking in to form a back three, Arsenal do the inverse.

Poole-born Ben White, a centre-back or holding midfielder for most of his career, will be the more defensive minded full-back on the right, whilst ex-City left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko will join the holding midfielder screening the back four in midfield when Arsenal come forward.

Jordan Zemura had a lot of joy attacking down the left against Manchester City, the Zimbabwean finding more space down the Cityzens' right flank when Cherries gained possession and caught Lewis still in midfield.

Adam Smith was more conservative, holding the line with the three centre-backs. With Arsenal utilising the opposite full-back to flood the midfield, it could mark an opportunity for Ryan Fredericks to start.

The wing-back is certainly more offensively minded than Smith, the ex-West Ham man keen to roam forward. If O’Neil was to replicate Zemura’s success down the left against City, he could use Fredericks' pace and attacking intent to cause the Gunners problems down their right.

Asked about the possibility, O’Neil responded: “Fredo is a lot fitter now than he was. He's done some good work.

“So, Fredo is an option, of course. JZ had some positive moments going forward.

“Of course, there's a couple of things around the goals that we've tried to tidy up with him this week, but yes.

“I don't want to give too much away. It's hard to answer without giving too much away.”

Cherries' record against the 'big six'

Cherries are yet to take three points from a Premier League fixture against sides in the top 10 this term, their best returns draws against Newcastle (twice), Fulham, and Brentford.

This record worsens when narrowed down to the 'big six', with seven combined losses against Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Tottenham Hotspur.

Whilst certainly not adrift at the bottom, their lack of points gained from unlikely sources pales in comparison to sides in and round them in the relegation battle.

Leeds have picked up wins over Chelsea and Liverpool, whilst six of Southampton’s 18 points have come from wins over Chelsea.

The other side in the relegation zone, Everton, beat their arch-rivals Liverpool, as well as a win over Arsenal in Sean Dyche’s first game in charge.

If Cherries are to avoid heightening pressure on their fixtures with positional rivals, they need to start taking points away from the heavy-hitters, even if they are massively unfavoured to do so.