Bournemouth handed Arsenal their first defeat of the season, capitalizing on William Saliba’s early red card to secure a 2-0 win at the Vitality Stadium. The French defender was sent off in the 28th minute after tripping Evanilson near the center circle, a costly mistake stemming from a careless pass by Leandro Trossard. This was Saliba’s first career dismissal, leaving the Gunners with an uphill battle for over an hour.
Arsenal, who had shown resilience in similar situations against Manchester City and Brighton, faced a more daunting task this time around with 10 men. Despite their determined defensive efforts, Bournemouth eventually broke through with 20 minutes remaining. Ryan Christie struck a sensational goal into the top corner after a well-executed corner routine, with substitute Justin Kluivert flicking on Lewis Cook’s pass into the box.
Kluivert then sealed Bournemouth’s victory in the 81st minute by converting a penalty after Evanilson was fouled by Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya. The result snapped Bournemouth’s four-game losing streak in this fixture, during which they had been outscored 13-2, and lifted the Cherries to 10th in the Premier League table.
For Arsenal, the loss was a setback in their title aspirations, missing the chance to go top of the league. They now await the outcome of Manchester City’s match against Wolves and Liverpool’s clash with Chelsea to see how the title race unfolds.
SOURCE: BBC
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