Arsenal’s hopes of clinching the Premier League title were dealt a heavy blow on Saturday night when Mikel Arteta’s team succumbed to a 2-0 defeat against Bournemouth.
The Gunners found themselves down to ten men for the third time this season after William Saliba received a straight red card for a last-man challenge in the 30th minute. Bournemouth capitalized on this advantage in the second half, with Ryan Christie opening the scoring before Justin Kluivert sealed the victory from the penalty spot.
The loss now gives Manchester City and Liverpool a significant opportunity to widen the gap between themselves and Arsenal in the title race on Sunday.
Match Recap
The game started with both teams evenly matched, but a defensive error from Leandro Trossard and Saliba’s subsequent red card shifted the momentum in Bournemouth’s favor.
Despite being a man down, Arsenal managed to create chances, with Mikel Merino coming close to scoring. However, Bournemouth’s dominance grew as they created more opportunities.
Semenyo troubled Arsenal’s defense throughout the game, missing a clear chance in the second half. Bournemouth eventually took the lead through a well-executed set piece that resulted in Christie’s goal.
A defensive error from Jakub Kiwior led to Bournemouth’s second goal from a penalty scored by Kluivert.
GK: David Raya – 6/10 – Made some good saves but conceded a penalty due to a defensive error.
RB: Ben White – 5/10 – Struggled to handle Semenyo’s threat throughout the game.
CB: William Saliba – 2/10 – Received an early red card and had a poor performance overall.
CB: Gabriel Maghalaes – 4/10 – Struggled after Saliba’s dismissal and failed to make an impact.
LB: Riccardo Calafiori – 7/10 – Performed well defensively despite Arsenal’s defeat.
CM: Thomas Partey – 4/10 – Struggled with possession and put his team under pressure.
CM: Declan Rice – 6/10 – Put in a solid effort in midfield but couldn’t change the game’s outcome.
CM: Mikel Merino – 4/10 – Struggled with passing accuracy and failed to make an impact.
RW: Raheem Sterling – N/A – Substituted early due to Saliba’s red card.
ST: Kai Havertz – 5/10 – Worked hard but lacked service from his teammates.
LW: Leandro Trossard – 2/10 – His mistake led to Arsenal’s downfall, and he failed to redeem himself.
Substitutes
SUB: Jakub Kiwior (37′ for Sterling) – 2/10 – Committed a costly error that led to Bournemouth’s second goal.
SUB: Gabriel Martinelli (64′ for Trossard) – 5/10
SUB: Ethan Nwaneri (81′ for Merino) – N/A
SUB: Gabriel Jesus (81′ for Kiwior) – N/A
Manager – Mikel Arteta – 5/10 – Faced challenges due to Saliba’s red card, but some decisions were questioned by fans.