Arsenal saw their Premier League title ambitions dented after a 2-1 home defeat to AFC Bournemouth at the Emirates Stadium.
The loss denied Arsenal the chance to extend their lead at the top of the table to 12 points ahead of Manchester City’s clash with Chelsea FC, piling pressure on Mikel Arteta’s side in the title race.
Bournemouth started brightly and stunned the home crowd early on when Junior Kroupi converted from close range after a deflected cross from Adrien Truffert.
Arsenal responded with increased urgency and drew level through Viktor Gyökeres, who calmly slotted home a penalty after Ryan Christie was penalised for handball.
Despite pushing for a winner, Arsenal struggled to find rhythm, with injuries to key players affecting their attacking fluency.
Manager Mikel Arteta introduced Eberechi Eze, Leandro Trossard, and teenage prospect Max Dowman in a bid to turn the game around.
However, it was Bournemouth who delivered the decisive moment.
Alex Scott struck in the second half, latching onto a flick from Evanilson before firing past goalkeeper David Raya to seal a memorable victory for the visitors.
The result extends Bournemouth’s unbeaten league run to 12 matches and lifts them into the top half of the table, boosting their push for a potential European spot.
For Arsenal, the defeat raises fresh concerns over their title challenge.
Although they remain top, they have now played two more games than Manchester City and face a crucial away fixture against Pep Guardiola’s side next weekend.
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The Gunners, already out of domestic cup competitions, must quickly regroup as they balance their league campaign with a Champions League quarter-final second leg against Sporting.
With pressure mounting and fixtures intensifying, Arteta will be hoping this setback does not prove decisive in Arsenal’s pursuit of their first league title in years.
