AFC Bournemouth handed ten-man Arsenal their first defeat of the season with a decisive 2-0 victory, courtesy of second-half goals from substitutes Ryan Christie and Justin Kluivert.
The Cherries capitalized on their numerical advantage after William Saliba was sent off in the first half for a last-man challenge on striker Evanilson.
The opening exchanges were a tense midfield battle, with neither side able to carve out clear opportunities.
However, the game’s complexion shifted dramatically in the 30th minute. A ball over the top released Evanilson, who raced toward goal, only to be pulled down by Saliba.
Initially, referee Robert Jones brandished a yellow card, but after a lengthy VAR review, the decision was upgraded to a red, leaving Arsenal with ten men for over an hour.
Despite the Gunners’ defensive efforts, Bournemouth began to exert pressure in the second half.
The breakthrough came in the 70th minute when a corner from Lewis Cook found Justin Kluivert, who flicked the ball into the path of Ryan Christie.
The Scottish midfielder hammered the ball past David Raya for his first Premier League goal in nearly a year.
Bournemouth didn’t let up, and they struck again nine minutes later. Evanilson, lively throughout, latched onto a careless back pass from Jakub Kiwior, only to be felled by Raya as he tried to round the Arsenal keeper.
The referee pointed to the spot without hesitation. Justin Kluivert, confident from his earlier assist, calmly slotted home the penalty, sending Raya the wrong way and doubling Bournemouth’s advantage.
Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola, keen to correct his side’s form after their defeat to Leicester before the international break, made several key changes to the starting lineup. Julian Araujo, Dango Ouattara, and Alex Scott were all brought into the side, with Adam Smith, Justin Kluivert, and Ryan Christie initially dropped to the bench.
The tactical switches paid dividends, as Bournemouth dominated much of the second half.
Arsenal, who were without star winger Bukayo Saka due to injury, struggled to find any rhythm.
Mikel Arteta’s side included Declan Rice and Raheem Sterling, the latter on loan from Chelsea, but they failed to create significant chances after going down to ten men.
Despite some late pressure and attacking changes, including the introduction of Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus, Bournemouth’s defense held firm, securing their first clean sheet of the season.
David Raya, who had a mixed performance in goal for Arsenal, made a crucial save earlier in the match to deny Marcus Tavernier after a spilled cross. However, his distribution proved costly in the lead-up to Bournemouth’s second goal.
The win catapulted Bournemouth up to tenth place in the Premier League standings, overtaking Manchester United, Nottingham Forest, and Brentford. The victory was also significant as it marked their first triumph over Arsenal since 2018.
This result leaves Arsenal reflecting on their first setback of the season, while Bournemouth, buoyed by their resilience and tactical discipline, will look to build on this performance as they aim for a top-half finish.
