Bournemouth thwarted Arsenal’s attempt to clinch the top spot in the Premier League, defeating them 2-0. Arsenal, managed by Mikel Arteta, was put at a disadvantage after William Saliba was sent off 30 minutes into the match. Saliba’s expulsion, confirmed after a VAR check, occurred as he tackled striker Evanilson before he could make a breakaway attempt on goal.
This marked Arsenal’s first defeat in the league this season, exacerbated by Ryan Christie’s second-half stunner and a subsequent penalty from Justin Kluivert. If Gabriel Martinelli had not missed an excellent opportunity on goal, sending the ball straight to goalie Kepa Arrizabalaga, the course of the match could have changed.
Arteta explained the difficulties of playing with a man down for over an hour, citing the immense effort and commitment of his squad and their strategic play under the circumstances. He bemoaned the missed opportunity at 0-0 during a face-off with the keeper and the consequential mistakes that cost them the game.
This isn’t the first time Arsenal has been put at a disadvantage due to disciplinary issues – they found themselves down to 10 men in previous matches against Brighton and Manchester City, due to red cards received by Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard respectively. Arteta commented on the unpredictable nature of the incident that led to the red card against Bournemouth, stating that it is the nature of the game to have such unforeseen challenges. Now, Arsenal trails one point behind Liverpool and has played one match more.
Planning is challenging, but there’s certainly a need to field a full team of 11 if we want to achieve our goals, said Arteta. Martinelli was brought on when the match was still at a stalemate, showing Arteta’s confidence that his side, despite being one player short, still had the potential to clinch the game. However, this was prevented by Arrizabalaga’s exceptional save following his earlier mistake of giving away the ball.
The red card had put a damper on Arsenal’s performance, yet they were further setback by Christie’s superb goal around the 70th minute. Using a clever flick by Kluivert as a distraction, he launched a fierce shot from a corner. Kluivert later sealed the win by scoring a penalty after Jakub Kiwior had lost possession to Evanilson and Raya brought him down.
Arteta mentioned that his players only have the best at heart, and it’s not like Willy intentionally repeat his previous mistake or what happened for the second goal. It’s a struggle playing away with only 10 men, it’s already tough with a full team, but what his team performed under these circumstances was quite exceptional.
On the other hand, Bournemouth’s manager, Andoni Iraola, mused over his squad’s resurgence from their loss to Leicester before the international break. He addressed the importance of recouping points they unintentionally gave up, adding that defeating Arsenal made it a bit simpler with the help of the red card infraction. This win allows them to notch up some vital points.
He highlighted the crucial nature of their goal, considering they had squandered a few opportunities early into the second half. When you don’t score during these moments, it can be disheartening, he said.