Arsenal’s Poor Road Record Puts Gunners at Risk in Premier League Week 23

Three-and-a-half years have passed since Arsenal last failed to win four competitive away

matches in succession, but a trip to Bournemouth in Week 23 could see them match that unenviable run.

Arsene Wenger has struggled to cope with the post-Christmas schedule and is still seeking a first

win in 2018, with his side currently sixth in the Premier League standings heading to the Vitality

Stadium.

A New Year’s Eve draw at West Bromwich Albion kickstarted an unreliable run of form for the

north London outfit, who have since been knocked out of the FA Cup at the hands of Nottingham

Forest, as well as sealing draws against Chelsea in the league and Carabao Cup.

Some recent results may be seen as positive, but the fact remains a failure to beat the Cherries on

Sunday will not only extend their winless run to five but see them go a fourth successive away

game without tasting victory.

It was in August 2014 that the Gunners opened their campaign with a Champions League

qualifying draw at Besiktas before back-to-back draws with Everton and Leicester City, followed

by a European defeat at Borussia Dortmund.

The north Londoners wish they still had Champions League fixtures in their calendar these days,

with a 4-2 defeat to Nottingham Forest arguably making for more embarrassing reading.

It’s also been just under two years since Arsenal last went five consecutive matches across all

competition without a win.

Across February and March 2016, the Gunners ran to an FA Cup stalemate against Hull City

before losing to Barcelona in the Champions League, a result that preceded three successive

Premier League results without tasting victory.

Wenger’s side are again in danger of replicating that run if they fail to beat Bournemouth. A narrow

3-2 win over Crystal Palace is the only win they’ve taken from their last six outings.

There’s plenty of hope for Arsenal, though, who have scored at least three times in each of their

last three encounters with Eddie Howe’s men, while Bournemouth have won just once in their last

10 games.

Photo: skysports

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