It's almost going suspiciously well for Arsenal at the minute. For a club familiar with the kind of turbulent pre-seasons and shocking starts that some of their Premier League rivals are currently experiencing, to be one of just two teams left with a 100% record going into the third week of the season is unheard of.
In fact, the last time the Gunners won their opening three matches of a league campaign was all the way back in 2004 with the majority of the squad that had just become Invincible. Before anyone can think about that though Mikel Arteta is keen to make sure his side stay focused on the next task they have ahead.
"It’s just two games, there’s still a whole season to play for," the Spaniard said. "We know that, we’re very conscious of that, we have to play better. That’s been the whole aim all week."
The trip to the south coast does appear to be the beginning of what looks like a favourable run of fixtures that could extend their unbeaten start. But at the same time, the potential for a banana skin that could undo all the positivity that has built up in north London is far too severe to ignore.
READ MORE: Every word Mikel Arteta said on Pepe's exit, Saka's Arsenal contract and Marquinhos' future
Arteta will be hoping a return to the Vitality Stadium for Aaron Ramsdale will refocus the England 'keeper who was at fault for James Maddison's strike last week. "I think Aaron has been pretty good at the start of the season," said the Spaniard coming out swinging in defence of his number one in his pre-match press conference. His distribution has been back up to it's top levels from last season and he'll be hoping to silence the doubters.
That job might be made easier by the settled nature of the back four in front of him. William Saliba will be looking to reward the Arsenal fans for their role in helping him bounce back from an own goal he scored against Leicester with an impressive display and assuming the Frenchman starts, Ben White will likely start alongside him at right back.
Takehiro Tomiyasu is fit again as he returns from muscle injuries that affected him last year, and although the Japanese international's aerial ability could be useful against the Cherries, Arteta won't want to change a winning formula. That is also the reason why Oleksandr Zinchenko is likely to continue ahead of Kieran Tierney.
In midfield again there are unlikely to be any changes. Thomas Partey will start at the base of the midfield, Granit Xhaka is simply undroppable right now and Martin Odegaard is the first name on the team sheet as the captain. Interestingly though the options to switch things up if necessary is now there for Arteta with Fabio Vieira and Emile Smith Rowe both likely to be on the bench after coming through 45 minutes with the under-21s in midweek.
Marquinhos was not involved at Meadow Park, but could be in the squad at the Vitality after Arteta confirmed that the Brazilian is going to stay with the Gunners in his press conference. The 19-year-old's ascension to the first team could well be hurried along by the impending departure of Nicolas Pepe who football.london understands is the subject of interest from Nice, meaning Arsenal may be tempted not to risk involving him at Bournemouth if they feel the Ivorian's focus is distracted.
Regardless of what goes on with Pepe, it's unlikely that the starting front three will be disrupted. Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus have been simply excellent in their opening two matches this season, while Bukayo Saka will want to silence some the critics of his early season form.
Arsenal predicted XI vs Bournemouth: Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Partey, Xhaka, Odegaard; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli.
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