Bournemouth VS Arsenal - Bournemouth without suspended Rico for visit of Arteta’s Arsenal

Posted Tuesday, December 24, 2019 by PA

Bournemouth will be without Diego Rico for the Boxing Day visit of Arsenal.

The Cherries left-back is absent due to suspension, while manager Eddie Howe has confirmed that Nathan Ake remains sidelined by hamstring trouble.

Bournemouth, on a run of six defeats in seven games, have a number of other players out, including Adam Smith, Steven Cook and Harry Wilson.

Mesut Ozil has recovered from a foot injury and is in contention to play in Mikel Arteta’s first game in charge of the Gunners.

The playmaker missed Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Everton but is back in training – as are both Hector Bellerin and Dani Ceballos following hamstring issues.

Gabriel Martinelli (hamstring) will be assessed ahead of the trip to the south coast but Calum Chambers is suspended after picking up five yellow cards, while Rob Holding (knee), Sead Kolasinac (ankle) and Kieran Tierney (shoulder) are absent.

Bournemouth provisional squad: Ramsdale, Francis, Stacey, Mepham, Gosling, Lerma, L Cook, Fraser, Billing, King, Boruc, Simpson, Surman, Stanislas, Kilkenny, Dobre, Solanke, Ibe.

Provisional Arsenal squad: Leno, Martinez, Bellerin, Maitland-Niles, Papastathopoulos, Luiz, Mustafi, Mavropanos, Guendouzi, Torreira, Willock, Xhaka, Smith Rowe, Saka, Nelson, Pepe, Lacazette, Aubameyang, Martinelli.