Did Arsenal's dramatic 3-3 draw with Bournemouth represent two points lost or a show of strength?

Arsenal complete a dramatic comeback at Bournemouth as they rescue a point in injury time having been 3-0 behind.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says his side "refused to lose the game" as they came back from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 at Bournemouth.

Arsene Wenger says that Arsenal "succeeded mentally" after the Gunners came back from three goals down to draw 3-3 with Bournemouth.

Eddie Howe says that Bournemouth squandering a 3-0 lead in a 3-3 draw with Arsenal "hurts so much."

Mark Mitchener
BBC Sport at Vitality Stadium

Image source, Getty Images

A festive six-goal thriller concludes - Arsenal can take heart from a sensational comeback when they looked dead and buried at 3-0 down, but will still feel that, on paper at least, it's two points dropped on Chelsea in the title race.

Bournemouth's frustration was exemplified as Harry Arter received a yellow card for dissent after the final whistle had been blown. But when their fans - particularly those who booed referee Michael Oliver off the field - have calmed down, they might reflect on how far their club has come in Eddie Howe's eight years as manager, when they are disappointed to "only" draw with a club the size of Arsenal.

Mark Mitchener
BBC Sport at Vitality Stadium

Tin hats on as the hosts go down to 10 men. A year and a day ago, Simon Francis was red-carded after 57 minutes at eventual champions Leicester, and Bournemouth managed to hang on for a goalless draw. Can they hold on in their first game of 2017 as they did in their first of 2016?

Backs well and truly to the wall as defender Brad Smith is readied to come on.

Mark Mitchener
BBC Sport at Vitality Stadium

The Alexis Sanchez goal was treated very much like a consolation goal by Arsenal's players and supporters alike - but Lucas Perez's second sees the away fans find their voices again, while the men in yellow have a definite spring in their step. There will be more than a few nails bitten among the Bournemouth faithful now as for all their adventurous forward play, they remain defensively frail at times at this level.

Mark Mitchener
BBC Sport at Vitality Stadium

The fans may have been chanting "we want four" but it can be inferred from Eddie Howe's two substitutions - made before the Alexis Sanchez goal - that a touch of steel is needed to see out the game. Defensive midfielder Andrew Surman and full-back Adam Smith, sent on in place of the forward-thinking Joshua King and Ryan Fraser, will reinforce the midfield against an Arsenal onslaught for the last 20 minutes.

Mark Mitchener
BBC Sport at Vitality Stadium

It was Scottish winger Ryan Fraser's introduction that sparked Bournemouth's sensational comeback against Liverpool last month, and the "Wee Man" is on fire again tonight, having won the penalty earlier and now used all of his 5ft 4ins frame to shrug off Hector Bellerin and fire the Cherries into an unfathomable 3-0 lead.

The pace of Fraser and Callum Wilson is wreaking havoc here.

Mark Mitchener
BBC Sport at Vitality Stadium

Olivier Giroud may be the Scorpion King, but he has cut a frustrated figure for much of the game, while Alexis Sanchez, who is having to drop deep to help win possession, has just let loose a verbal volley at team-mate Aaron Ramsey.

For those of you keeping track of Steve Cook's Premier League-leading headed clearances [see 20:20], he's even managed one from a sitting position this half, while he stayed on his feet to dispossess Ramsey after the Wales midfielder had surged into the area.

Mark Mitchener
BBC Sport at Vitality Stadium

The players walk off to huge cheers (home fans) and a round of boos (away fans) to a half-time scoreline Cherries fans can surely only have dreamed about.

Among Arsene Wenger's biggest concerns will be the way Bournemouth have opened up his side time and again. Even without their regular attacking midfield locksmith, a certain Jack Wilshere.

Mark Mitchener
BBC Sport at Vitality Stadium

Here's a stat to cheer Arsenal fans up. Substitute Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scored his first senior goal against Bournemouth, for Southampton in a League Cup tie at St Mary's in August 2010, and his sole league goal of 2015-16 came on this ground in February.

Also on the stats front, Bournemouth defender Steve Cook leads the entire Premier League in both clearances and headed clearances in 2016-17. He's already added to both tallies tonight, and can expect a hard day's night up against Olivier Giroud.

Mark Mitchener
BBC Sport at Vitality Stadium

Fantasy league managers may know that Charlie Daniels has been one of the Premier League's most prolific defenders since their promotion to the top flight. His record now stands at six goals and seven assists since the start of 2015-16.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is scowling on the edge of his technical area, but Chelsea manager Antonio Conte may also allow himself a wry smile if he's following this game.

Mark Mitchener
BBC Sport at Vitality Stadium

Cherries fans of a certain age may recognise Arsenal's goalkeeping coach who has been putting Petr Cech and his team-mates through their paces. It's Gerry Peyton, who played over 200 league games for Bournemouth under Harry Redknapp between 1986 and 1991, and was ever-present when they won the old Third Division back in 1987.

Image source, BBC Sport

Four Chelsea fans are found guilty of aggravated violence after they refused to let a black man on to a Paris Metro train.

Four Chelsea fans who pushed a black man off a Paris Metro train are given suspended sentences.

Mark Mitchener
BBC Sport at Vitality Stadium

The official explanation, external from Bournemouth for Benik Afobe's absence is that he has not received international clearance from the Democratic Republic of Congo for him to feature, having withdrawn from their Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) squad - the latest twist in a stop-start international career.

Born in Leyton, Afobe represented his native England up to Under-21 level, but chose to switch allegiance to DR Congo last year - only for his debut to be cancelled. Having travelled to Africa in November, he was unable to play after the English FA sent his paperwork to the "wrong" Congo.

Now, having decided to withdraw from the Afcon to concentrate on his club career, a lack of clearance has meant that while he is still uncapped at full international level, he can't play for his club tonight.

Mark Mitchener
BBC Sport at Vitality Stadium

Striker Benik Afobe adorns the cover of tonight's programme as his current side face the club where he came up through the academy ranks.

Afobe scored the opener in Saturday's 3-0 win at Swansea before withdrawing from the Democratic Republic of Congo's squad for the Africa Cup of Nations in order to concentrate on his club.

As well as two league goals this season, arguably Afobe's most important "assist" for Bournemouth was helping to persuade his close friend Jack Wilshere to join the Cherries on loan from Arsenal. Wilshere is ineligible to face his parent club tonight.

Image source, BBC Sport

Mark Mitchener
BBC Sport at Vitality Stadium

Arsenal have won all four previous meetings with Bournemouth, including both games last season when the 2-0 scoreline on both occasions did not reflect the Gunners' dominance, with Mesut Ozil pulling the strings.

However, Arsene Wenger will know from a more fiercely contested 3-1 success at Emirates Stadium in November that he faces a Cherries side who have improved from their debut Premier League campaign, and have already beaten Everton and Liverpool here this season, while holding Spurs to a draw.