Arsenal

Alex Howell
Arsenal reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Top of the league and in charge of the title race, only to fade away and be pipped at the post? Arsenal have been there before.

But nine points clear after 32 games played and still failing to win the league? No team in Premier League history has capitulated to that extent.

Could Mikel Arteta's side really be the first to throw it away from that position?

After back-to-back draws for nearest rivals Manchester City, along with a four-game winning streak for the Gunners, many were beginning to assume Arsenal's 22-year wait for the Premier League title was finally set to end.

Saturday's chastening 2-1 home defeat by Bournemouth, however, has once again left the door ajar for Pep Guardiola's side - who have two games in hand on the Gunners.

Arteta described Arsenal's first league defeat since January as "a big punch to the face" and a "painful day".

"That's what I said to the boys and now it's about how we react," he added.

React they must. Their next league game is at Eithad Stadium next Sunday and it could go a long way to deciding the title.

Arsenal might be without a number of key players through injury though, but it does look like striker Viktor Gyokeres is finding form at the right time.

After his heroics for Sweden in their World Cup play-offs, he is full of confidence - 11 of his 18 goals for Arsenal in all competitions have come since the turn of the year.

He is also the club's top goalscorer, with his penalty against Bournemouth being his 12th of the Premier League season.

Momentum may be against them at the moment but, if they can regroup and start to put together a run of results, the Gunners can still be celebrating with a trophy at the end of May.

Read Alex Howell's full article here

Pundits Alan Shearer and Danny Murphy join host Kelly Cates to bring you the action and talking points from Friday and Saturday's Premier League fixtures.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Brentford 2-2 Everton

• Burnley 0-2 Brighton

• Liverpool 2-0 Fulham

Image source, Getty Images

Commentator Lee Blakeman, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live at the Emirates: "The Sporting win counted for nothing. You would've thought that playing at the Emirates given what has happened, that game aside, in the last few weeks would give Arsenal the boost that they needed.

"The extra atmosphere that Mikel Arteta called for arrived pre-match, but on the pitch Arsenal were consistently second best.

"Despite making all five substitutions at his disposal, Mikel Arteta and his players had no idea how to break through a Bournemouth side who without the ball were absolutely spot on."

Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown, speaking on TNT Sports: "Now people have to stand up. Personalities have to come forward. Leaders need to emerge.

"It's still in your hands because you play Manchester City in the Premier League.

"You do have a Champions League game midweek though, and you need to make sure that the wheels do not come off."

Former Spurs midfielder Andy Reid on BBC Radio 5 Live: "It absolutely leaves the title race wide open.

"The concerning thing for Arsenal will be the lack of creativity, the lack of guile, the desire to get into the right areas.

"Also a lack of game understanding today, trying to play through the press when sometimes you have to go around or over it, they did neither. Too many sideways passes and they paid the price for it."

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta spoke to TNT Sports after his side's defeat by Bournemouth: "Disappointing. It's a big punch in the face and it's about how we react now. They are a team who haven't lost for 11 games for a reason, they did a lot right.

"We were far from efficient. The first chance they had to attack the box, it's a deflection, a bad defending action and it's a goal. That's something we have to recover from.

"The second half you expect a different game. We did a lot of strange things today.

"We have been very consistent. This can happen, this is football."

On whether the players are hurting: "A lot. It has to hurt. They have to take it on the chin. You stand up and go for the fight or you're out.

"It's a big week. A lot at stake. We're still in a good position in both competitions."

Did you know?

• After only suffering three defeats in their opening 49 matches of this season in all competitions, Arsenal have since lost three of their last four.

Alex Howell
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

This match always felt like a huge moment in the Gunners season.

After recent disappointments, it was time to make a statement.

Arteta must now hope it is not the game that is highlighted as the one where Arsenal threw away the title.

Supporters arrived full of hope for a confident performance after their late winner against Sporting in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Instead they witnessed a nervy performance with Arsenal well below their best.

Injuries have hit Arsenal at a crucial time and they were without Bukayo Saka, captain Martin Odegaard and Jurrien Timber.

Myles Lewis-Skelly came in at left-back for just his second league start of the season, with Riccardo Calafiori also unavailable.

Arsenal's attack lacked rhythm and potency, a problem Arteta aimed to solve with his second-half triple change, but Bournemouth were the team most willing to be bold when going forward.

There is a sense of desperation within the fanbase after three successive second-placed finishes in the Premier League, and every loose pass from Arsenal was met with groans from home supporters.

It will get no easier from here. After the Sporting second leg on Wednesday, Arsenal have to be up to speed for Sunday's trip to Etihad Stadium, which is followed by a home game against Newcastle.

There is a chance that come kick-off on 25 April against the Magpies, Arsenal's lead will have entirely eroded, as City face Chelsea, the Gunners themselves and Burnley before then. That would be tough to swallow, and tough to come back from.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Arsenal's performance

What did you make of Bournemouth's display?

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

Image source, BBC Sport

Myles Lewis-Skelly starts in place of Riccardo Calafiori, who is not in the Arsenal squad. There is also no Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka or Jurrien Timber for the Gunners. Eberechi Eze returns to the bench after injury.

Arsenal starting XI: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly, Rice, Zubimendi, Havertz, Martinelli, Madueke, Gyokeres

Subs: Arrizabalaga, Mosquera, Hincapie, Jesus, Eze, Norgaard, Trossard, Dowman, Salmon

Andoni Iraola makes one change to the Bournemouth side that played against Manchester United in their last league game. Junior Kroupi comes in for Amine Adli.

Bournemouth starting XI: Petrovic, Jimenez, Senesi, Hill, Truffert, Christie, Scott, Tavernier, Kroupi, Rayan, Evanilson

Subs: Mandas, Adams, Brooks, Gannon-Doak, Smith, Diakite, Adli, Unal, Toth

Image source, BBC Sport

There are four games in the Premier League on Saturday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Arsenal v Bournemouth (12:30)

• Brentford v Everton (15:00) - Listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Burnley v Brighton (15:00) - Listen on Sports Extra 2

• Liverpool v Fulham (17:30) - Listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times BST

Follow all of the action and reaction here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Brentford v Everton" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Liverpool v Fulham".

Find out more about how to listen to Premier League football on BBC Sounds

Matthew Hobbs
BBC Sport journalist

Arsenal will aim to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table to 12 points against a Bournemouth side unbeaten in their past 11 matches.

BBC Sport examines some of the key themes ahead of their meeting at Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta called for perspective before the quarter-final first-leg visit to Sporting on Tuesday night and the Gunners' mini-crisis was subsequently averted following a last-gasp 1-0 win.

Arteta's side had entered that contest following losses in the League Cup final and quarter-finals of the FA Cup in back-to-back matches, but a crucial midweek European win has softened the landing of a return to Premier League football, where their form has remained consistently good in recent weeks.

Arsenal resume domestic affairs knowing a win against Bournemouth will stretch their lead at the top of the table to 12 points, with Manchester City not travelling to Chelsea until Sunday.

A victory against the Cherries would also equal Arsenal's longest winning run this season of five Premier League fixtures, a feat they have achieved twice already in 2025-26.

Central to their success in recent matches has been teenager Max Dowman. The 16-year-old scored in Arsenal's last league outing against Everton to seal a 2-0 win, while his appearance as a second-half substitute against Sporting earlier this week when the game was still goalless demonstrated his increased trust to play in the biggest matches.

Dowman's midweek outing made him the second-youngest player to feature in a Champions League knockout match at the age of 16 years and 97 days, although visitors Bournemouth have a starlet of their own enjoying a standout season.

Junior Kroupi may be several years older than his Arsenal counterpart, but the 19-year-old's performances bely those of a teenager playing his first season of Premier League football.

Twelve of Kroupi's 26 Premier League appearances in this campaign have come off the bench as he vies with Evanilson for game time but the France Under-21 international has still scored nine league goals, including one in the 3-2 home defeat to Arsenal in January.

His most recent goal came from the penalty spot to earn the Cherries a 2-2 draw at Manchester United on 20 March and preserve their 11-game unbeaten run.

Should Kroupi score for the second time against the Gunners this season, he will become the first teenager to score 10 goals in his debut Premier League campaign since Robbie Keane for Coventry City in 1999-00 (12), and just the fourth overall.

As I was saying on this week's Monday Night Club, some of the stuff I heard criticising Arsenal after they lost two games in a row is over the top.

Yes, they were well beaten by Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final, but City are a good side and they can do that to teams. Then it was Arsenal's reserves who lost to Southampton in the FA Cup.

We saw a reaction from Mikel Arteta's side with their win over Sporting on Tuesday. It was a big goal from Kai Havertz to give them an advantage to take into next week's second leg, and I think we will see a similar performance here.

Bournemouth will give them a good game and they are in decent form too - they are on a run of five draws but they have not lost in 11 league matches since Arsenal beat them 3-2 on the south coast at the start of January.

Everyone is trying to put the pressure on Arsenal but I've looked at the games they have got left, including this one, and their record against all seven opponents earlier this season is strong - the only team they have to play who they haven't beaten already is City.

Sutton's prediction: 2-0

Read the full predictions and have your say here