Arsenal returned some key guys yesterday, and as such, got the result in the UEFA Champions League. Declan Rice, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Magalhaes all returned to action, and the Gunners beat Sporting Lisbon 1-0. However, there are still some important injury concerns for the North Londoners as Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber remain sidelined.
“They’re having trouble,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said. “They’re not ready yet. Let’s see, hopefully they’re going to be ready for the weekend, if everything goes well.”
Arsenal vs AFC Bournemouth FYIs
Kickoff Time: 12:30pm BST, Saturday, April 11
Location: Emirates Stadium, London, UK
Google Result Probability: AFC Bournemouth 13% Draw 19% Arsenal 68%
Premier League Standing, Form: AFC Bournemouth 13th, 42 pts DDDDD Arsenal 1st, 70 pts DWWWW
Arsenal’s victory over Sporting means the Premier League will once again have at least five teams in the Champions League next season! 👏 pic.twitter.com/qmszZXPVoX
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) April 7, 2026
Arsenal Team News
It looks like Saka and Timber are both in the “50/50 proposition,” or “needs to pass a late fitness test” category for Saturday’s visit from AFC Bournemouth. Otherwise the situation remains the same from just ahead of the last match, Piero Hincapie and Eberechi Eze are out indefinitely while Mikel Merino is done for the season.
Also, it’s important to mention what the Gunners win on Monday night meant for the rest of the Premier League.
As you can see from the BBC “Match of the Day” tweet, embedded above, Arsenal just lowered the line for everybody else. Now at least five teams will get into the UCL, the sixth place side will go to the Europa League while the seventh place team will make Conference League.
“You’re welcome,” Gooners everywhere can now say to the supporters of other teams.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.