Arsenal host Bournemouth on Saturday as both sides look to finish the Premier League campaign on a high note.
Arsenal are now unable to catch up on table-topping Liverpool, but they will want to keep the likes of Newcastle and Manchester City at bay in pursuit of second place.
Meanwhile, Bournemouth are still capable of qualifying for Europe, though much depends on the many permutations at play in domestic and European competition.
Cherries manager Andoni Iraola spoke about Arsenal ahead of the game and he explained just why his side need to be at their very best against Mikel Arteta’s charges.
READ MORE: Four options Bournemouth have looked at to replace Dean Huijsen amid Liverpool and Arsenal interest
Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola says Arsenal ‘suffocate you’
Iraola admitted that Bournemouth would be in for a “very, very, very difficult” time at the Emirates Stadium.
Indeed, he stressed that just playing at a normal level would not be enough to get anything against Arsenal.
Iraola claimed the Gunners have conceded a “ridiculously low” amount of goals and they are a team that “suffocate you” when it comes to stifling chances.
“Arsenal is going to be very, very, very difficult,” Iraola told the Bournemouth Echo. “They’ve lost one game this season at home.
“Just one game, West Ham. To beat them, you have to do something special.
“If you play at your level normal, it’s not going to be enough. We have to be especially good if we want to beat them, especially away.
“So we will try to do it, but we know it’s going to be very, very difficult because it’s a team that is, defensively, they are the best team in the league by far.
“The number of goals they’ve conceded is ridiculously low and it’s difficult to have chances against them because they are very well organised.
“They suffocate you in a good way and it’s difficult to have the chances.
“But also… they’ve had some draws, they’ve had some results probably not that the ones they wanted. And we will try also to get one.”
Bournemouth have a number of players who are on Arsenal’s radar this summer, such as Dean Huijsen and Milos Kerkez.
Arsenal v Bournemouth team news
Arsenal will be without Jorginho and Riccardo Calafiori for their Premier League meeting with Bournemouth on Saturday.
While the duo are progressing in their respective recoveries from injuries, Mikel Arteta has confirmed they will not feature this weekend.
Calafiori has been sidelined since March with a knee problem, while Jorginho has been absent with a rib injury.
Bournemouth striker Evanilson will be available after his recent three-match suspension has been overturned.
The Cherries successfully appealed the red card he received against Manchester United after VAR elevated it from a yellow.
Iraola has no fresh injury issues for the game, with just Ryan Christie, Enes Unal and Luis Sinisterra still sidelined.
