Arsenal and AFC Bournemouth occupy very different positions in the 2025/2026 Premier League table, yet their recent meetings tell a story of shifting power. While Arsenal have led the standings for much of the campaign, Bournemouth have emerged as a genuine threat, taking points from top sides and climbing into the upper half of the table.
The two clubs have met twice this season already, with each match carrying significant implications for the title race and European qualification. Understanding where each team stands, how they have performed against one another, and what the numbers reveal requires looking beyond a single snapshot of the league table.
What Are the Premier League Standings for AFC Bournemouth and Arsenal?
As of the most recent fixtures in April 2026, Arsenal hold first place in the Premier League table. Bournemouth sit in sixth position, though some reports placed them as low as eighth immediately after matchday conclusions. The gap between the two sides in the standings has narrowed considerably compared to previous seasons.
Arsenal: 1st (2025/26 season as of Apr 2026)
Bournemouth: 6th (per Sofascore and league data)
Arsenal: 45 points (pre-Jan 3, 2026)
Bournemouth: 23 points (pre-Jan 3, 2026)
Arsenal wins: 3
Bournemouth wins: 1
Draws: 1
Arsenal 4-0 Bournemouth (30 Sep 2023)
Arsenal 3-0 Bournemouth (20 Aug 2022)
Key observations from the standings and recent form include:
- Arsenal currently hold a stronger league position than Bournemouth in the 2025/26 season, but the gap in points is narrower than in prior campaigns.
- Head-to-head history favours Arsenal overall, yet recent meetings have been markedly more competitive, with Bournemouth winning three of the last four Premier League encounters.
- The 3-2 victory for Arsenal in January 2026 was a high-scoring thriller that demonstrated both teams’ attacking capabilities.
- Bournemouth’s rise to sixth place, their highest sustained league position in this period, reflects significant tactical improvements under manager Andoni Iraola.
- Asian handicap data shows Bournemouth covering the spread in 33.3% of H2H fixtures, suggesting they have often outperformed expectations.
- Over 2.5 goals has landed in 60% of Arsenal’s last five head-to-head matches, indicating consistently open play.
- Bournemouth entered a winless league run of 11 matches after the January 2026 defeat to Arsenal, yet still managed to take points from title-contending sides.
| Team | Position | Points (pre-Jan 2026) | Goal Difference | Last 5 H2H Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenal | 1st | 45 | Not specified in available data | 2 wins, 1 draw, 2 losses |
| Bournemouth | 6th | 23 | Not specified in available data | 3 wins, 0 draws, 2 losses |
What Is the Head-to-Head Record Between Bournemouth and Arsenal?
Arsenal and Bournemouth have met 18 times in competitive fixtures since 2015. The overall record leans heavily in Arsenal’s favour, with the Gunners securing between 12 and 13 wins depending on the source. Bournemouth have three victories, and three matches have ended in draws.
How Do the Overall Stats Break Down?
Arsenal have scored approximately 40 goals across those meetings, averaging roughly 2.2 goals per game. Bournemouth have managed 19 goals, a rate of about 1.0 per match. The Asian handicap win percentage for Bournemouth stands at 33.3%, while total goals have gone over the standard line in 50% of all encounters, according to aggregated data from AiScore and Statbunker.
What Do the Recent Meetings Reveal?
The narrative has shifted sharply in the past two seasons. Bournemouth have won three of the last four Premier League meetings as of April 2026, a stark contrast to the period between 2022 and early 2024, when Arsenal won five consecutive matches with a combined aggregate score of 7-0. Sportsmole noted that Bournemouth “returned the favour… dealing a blow to Arsenal’s title push” after the April 2026 victory at the Emirates.
Bournemouth’s three wins in the last four Premier League meetings mark a significant turnaround. Before October 2024, Arsenal had gone five matches without dropping a single point to the Cherries, outscoring them 7-0 in the 2023/24 season alone.
How Have Arsenal and Bournemouth Fared in Their Last 5 Meetings?
The last five head-to-head matches show two very different trajectories. Arsenal have won twice, Bournemouth have won twice, and one match ended in a draw. Both sides have scored an identical average of 1.4 goals per game in this stretch, underscoring how evenly matched they have become.
Bournemouth’s Perspective
Bournemouth’s last five matches against Arsenal produced three wins, no draws, and two losses. They conceded an average of 1.2 goals per game while scoring 1.4. Their defensive organisation has improved markedly under Andoni Iraola, with the October 2024 clean sheet — a 2-0 victory — standing as their first ever shutout win over Arsenal.
Arsenal’s Perspective
Arsenal recorded two wins, one draw, and two losses in their last five H2H fixtures. They scored and conceded 1.4 goals per match, indicating that recent encounters have been tight and unpredictable. The Gunners’ earlier dominance has faded, and each meeting now carries genuine competitive tension.
What Happened in the 3-2 Arsenal Victory Over Bournemouth?
The most recent 3-2 scoreline between these sides occurred on January 3, 2026, at the Vitality Stadium. Arsenal travelled to Bournemouth knowing a win would consolidate their position at the top of the table, while the Cherries sat on 23 points and aimed to disrupt the title race.
Declan Rice scored his first Premier League brace in that match, powering Arsenal to a narrow victory. The game was a high-scoring thriller, with both sides committing to attack. Arsenal entered the match as clear favourites due to their superior firepower, but Bournemouth pushed them all the way, reflecting the competitiveness that has come to define this fixture.
Arsenal’s 3-2 win on January 3, 2026, came during a period when Bournemouth were on a winless league run that eventually stretched to 11 matches. Despite that broader slump, the Cherries continued to take points from top sides, demonstrating their capacity to raise their game against elite opposition.
While the 3-2 scoreline is confirmed by multiple sources including PremierLeague.com and Sofascore, the exact match timeline — including specific minute-by-minute events — varies slightly across different match reports. Users should cross-reference live commentary platforms for granular detail.
When Were the Most Recent Meetings Between the Two Sides?
The following timeline covers the most recent Premier League encounters between AFC Bournemouth and Arsenal, based on data from Sportsmole, Statbunker, and PremierLeague.com:
- April 11, 2026 — Arsenal 1-2 Bournemouth (Emirates Stadium). Eli Junior Kroupi and Alex Scott scored for the visitors; Viktor Gyökeres replied with a penalty for Arsenal.
- January 3, 2026 — Bournemouth 2-3 Arsenal (Vitality Stadium). Declan Rice scored his first Premier League brace in a high-scoring contest.
- May 3, 2025 — Arsenal 1-2 Bournemouth (Emirates Stadium). Bournemouth continued their resurgence with another away win.
- October 19, 2024 — Bournemouth 2-0 Arsenal (Vitality Stadium). The Cherries recorded their first clean-sheet victory over Arsenal.
- May 4, 2024 — Arsenal 3-0 Bournemouth (Emirates Stadium). Part of Arsenal’s five-match winning streak in this fixture, with a 7-0 aggregate score in the 2023/24 season.
- March 4, 2023 — Arsenal 3-0 Bournemouth (Emirates Stadium). Philip Billing scored the second-fastest goal in Premier League history after 9.4 seconds.
- August 20, 2022 — Bournemouth 0-3 Arsenal (Vitality Stadium). Arsenal’s dominant start to the 2022/23 campaign.
Are the Standings and Results Final or Subject to Change?
Some aspects of the data are firmly established, while others carry inherent uncertainty. The table below distinguishes between verified facts and information that may shift:
| Established Information | Information That Remains Unclear |
|---|---|
| Premier League standings are updated weekly; the positions shown here are correct as of the last completed matchday (April 11, 2026). | Live standings may change during match days; users should check official sources for real-time updates. |
| All historical match results listed are verified by official sources including PremierLeague.com and ESPN. | Future match dates and venues are subject to broadcast scheduling changes, which are confirmed only a few weeks in advance. |
| Bournemouth’s three wins in the last four meetings are documented across multiple independent data aggregators. | Bournemouth’s exact league position fluctuated between 6th and 8th around the April 2026 matchday, with different sources reporting slightly different rankings immediately after full time. |
What Do These Standings Mean for Both Teams’ Seasons?
Arsenal’s position at the top of the table in 2025/2026 builds on several strong campaigns. The club has consistently challenged for the title in recent years, and their standing reflects both squad depth and tactical continuity under Mikel Arteta. The 1-2 home defeat to Bournemouth in April 2026, however, dented their title push and demonstrated that no lead in the table is safe.
Bournemouth’s rise to sixth place — or as high as sixth before matchday fluctuations — marks their best sustained league performance in this period. Under Andoni Iraola, the team has developed a clear tactical identity built on counter-attacking efficiency. The 2-1 win at the Emirates in April 2026 was not an isolated result but part of a broader pattern: Bournemouth have consistently troubled top sides even when their league form has been inconsistent. According to Sportsmole, the Cherries “returned the favour… dealing a blow to Arsenal’s title push,” a line that captures how the dynamic between these clubs has changed.
The head-to-head record over the past 18 meetings shows Arsenal’s historical dominance, yet the recent data points to a genuine shift. Bournemouth’s three wins in the last four Premier League encounters suggest that tactical improvements under Iraola have closed the gap. Arsenal remain the stronger side over a full season, but the margins in this specific fixture have narrowed considerably.
Where Can Fans Find Verified Data?
The following sources were used to compile the standings, match results, and head-to-head statistics in this article. Each provides a different layer of data, from official league tables to detailed historical records.
“Bournemouth returned the favour… dealing a blow to Arsenal’s title push.”
— Sportsmole, match report following the April 11, 2026 fixture
The official Premier League website offers the definitive standings and match-by-match table context. Transfermarkt maintains a complete head-to-head record with scores and attendance figures. ESPN provides detailed match recaps, while Flashscore and Sofascore deliver live scores and statistical breakdowns.
What Is the Overall Picture of the Bournemouth-Arsenal Rivalry?
The AFC Bournemouth vs Arsenal fixture has evolved from a lopsided contest into a genuinely competitive Premier League matchup. Arsenal remain the stronger side in the Premier League 2025/2026 standings for Bournemouth and Arsenal, holding first place, but Bournemouth’s three wins in the last four meetings have rewritten the recent narrative. The data shows a clear shift: Bournemouth are no longer conceding ground easily, and their tactical improvements under Andoni Iraola have made this one of the more unpredictable fixtures in the league. For a deeper look at the full Bournemouth vs Arsenal head-to-head record and table context, including all Premier League meetings and their implications, the historical data confirms that while Arsenal lead overall, the current trajectory favours the Cherries.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the next Bournemouth vs Arsenal match?
The next fixture is scheduled for the final matchday of the 2025/26 Premier League season. The exact date has not yet been confirmed.
What is the biggest win between Bournemouth and Arsenal?
Arsenal won 4-0 away to Bournemouth on 30 September 2023, their largest margin of victory in this fixture.
Has Bournemouth ever beaten Arsenal?
Yes. Bournemouth have won three Premier League matches against Arsenal, including a 2-1 victory at the Emirates on 3 May 2025.
How can I watch Bournemouth vs Arsenal live?
Live broadcasts are available through Premier League broadcast partners. Availability varies by region, so checking local listings is recommended.
Who scored in the 3-2 Arsenal win in January 2026?
Declan Rice scored his first Premier League brace for Arsenal in the 3-2 victory at the Vitality Stadium on 3 January 2026.
What was Bournemouth’s first clean-sheet win over Arsenal?
Bournemouth recorded their first clean-sheet victory against Arsenal on 19 October 2024, winning 2-0 at the Vitality Stadium.
How many times have Arsenal and Bournemouth played since 2015?
The two sides have met 18 times in competitive fixtures since 2015, according to aggregated data from multiple sources.
Are Arsenal still top of the Premier League after the April 2026 defeat?
Yes, Arsenal remained in first place after the 1-2 home loss to Bournemouth on 11 April 2026, though their title push was affected.
What formation does Bournemouth typically use against Arsenal?
Under Andoni Iraola, Bournemouth have employed a counter-attacking structure that has proven effective against Arsenal’s build-up play, though specific formations have varied.
Where can I find verified live standings?
The official Premier League website and Sofascore provide authoritative, up-to-date standings and match statistics.
Oliver Arthur Morgan Harrison is a staff writer for StoryShift.uk, covering UK news, culture, politics and technology. He works under Editor-in-Chief Maarika Tamm and UK Managing Editor Oliver Grant, following the newsroom standards for sourcing, verification and fact-checking set out in our editorial policies.