Arsenal suffered a tough defeat at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, falling 2-1 to Bournemouth just days before their crucial Champions League second leg against Paris Saint-Germain.
Declan Rice gave the home side a bright start, scoring in the 34th minute during his 100th appearance for Arsenal. The midfielder latched onto Martin Odegaard’s pinpoint pass, rounded goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, and calmly finished into an open net.
Bournemouth responded with resilience in the second half. They entered the game with slim hopes of European qualification and had already beaten Arsenal earlier in the season.
Their determination paid off when Dean Huijsen equalised in the 67th minute. The defender rose above Declan Rice to nod home Antoine Semenyo’s long throw, catching the Arsenal defence off guard.
With momentum shifting, Arsenal appeared unsettled. Just eight minutes later, the visitors completed the comeback. Marcus Tavernier flicked a cross toward the far post, and Evanilson, unmarked, steered it in after a brief VAR check confirmed no handball had occurred. It was Bournemouth’s first-ever away win over Arsenal — and one that will be remembered by their fans.
Arteta, who fielded a full-strength lineup including Bukayo Saka, William Saliba, and Martin Odegaard, did not choose to rest his key players ahead of the PSG clash. Jurrien Timber and Mikel Merino were absent, with Timber facing a late fitness test before Wednesday’s game in Paris.
