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Arsenal 1-2 Bournemouth: Cherries make history in North London

LONDON — Bournemouth secured their first-ever away win over Arsenal and a season sweep of the Gunners with a 2-1 win at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

The win also puts a crimp in both Arsenal’s hopes of finishing second on the Premier League table and their vibes ahead of a huge Champions League second leg at Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday.

WATCH — Arsenal v Bournemouth full match replay

The Gunners led through a slick Martin Odegaard-to-Declan Rice goal, but found themselves down late via a Dean Huijsen header and an Evanilson goal that carries controversy.

Arsenal’s 67 points are three more than third-place Manchester City, and five more than Newcastle United. The Gunners play later play Newcastle, who have a match-in-hand on Arsenal.

Bournemouth surge into eighth place, which could be a European place, on 53 points.’

Bournemouth deserve win as Arsenal continue transfer fallout

It’s generally oversimplifying to point out a good team could be better with another star, but just look at Arsenal since they opted not to buy a striker in January. Gabriel Jesus tore his ACL on January 15, and the Gunners bet that Kai Havertz and friends could carry them through multiple competitions against elite talent despite star winger Bukayo Saka also requiring a good deal of time in the treatment room. Whoops. Havertz suffered a long-term hamstring injury two weeks later and Mikel Arteta has used several players to cobble together what could be regarded as a type of mediocre Voltron at center forward. There are other reasons for their losses, including very good opponents like Bournemouth and a long-term injury to star back Gabriel Magalhaes, but Arsenal should be able to outscore opponents given their reputation, talent, and — yes — even their budget. Should the Gunners fail to come back against PSG, this will be a lost year for an excellent project and it will be of the club’s own doing.

Arsenal vs Bournemouth player ratings

(from fotmob.com)

Arsenal vs Bournemouth player ratings (from fotmob.com)

Arsenal vs Bournemouth player ratings (from fotmob.com)

Arsenal vs Bournemouth player ratings (from fotmob.com)

What’s next?

Arsenal are off to Paris to meet Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday in the Champions League. They’ll then go to Liverpool at 11:30am ET Sunday (May 11).

Bournemouth host Aston Villa at 12:30pm Saturday.


How to watch Arsenal vs Bournemouth live, stream link and start time

Kick off time: 12:30pm ET Saturday (May 3)
Venue: Emirates Stadium — London
TV Channel: NBC
Streaming: Stream live on Peacock & on NBC.com


Arsenal vs Bournemouth final score: 1-2

Rice 34'; Huijsen 67', Evanilson 75'

Arsenal vs Bournemouth live updates! — By Joe Prince-Wright at Emirates Stadium

Full time — Arsenal 1-2 Bournemouth

Another notable win for Andoni Iraola’s Cherries.

Arsenal subs

Raheem Sterling, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Ethan Nwaneri replace Bukayo Saka, Ben White, and Gabriel Martinelli in the 86th minute

Evanilson pushes it over the line — Arsenal 1-2 Bournemouth

Tavernier flicks a corner kick to the back post, where Martin Odegaard is doing a decent job on Evanilson.

But strikers are strikers, and the big man sees it off his rib cage and over the line.

Wait — is it his rib or his arm? David Raya also touches the ball before it crosses the goal line but that won’t matter.

Goal given! His 10th Premier League goal.

The goal came minutes after both teams made subs — Mikel Merino entered for Rice, while Dango Ouattara is replaced by Daniel Jebbison.

Evanilson stuns Arsenal to give Cherries 2-1 lead
Evanilson gets a touch and manages to beat David Raya to give Bournemouth a shock 2-1 lead against Arsenal at the Emirates.

Huijsen heads home! — Arsenal 1-1 Bournemouth

After Saliba denied Semenyo on the counter, a throw in is launched in by Semenyo and Dean Huijsen heads home. That is so poor defensively from Arsenal. Huijsen and the Bournemouth players go wild in front of the away fans. That goal was coming.

Huijsen heads Bournemouth level with Arsenal
The Cherries are on the board as Dean Huijsen rises highest to turn in Bournemouth's equalizer against Arsenal at the Emirates.

Antoine Semenyo is on for Kluivert

Bournemouth have been decent up until the final third today but Antoine Semenyo, their main man, is now on for Justin Kluivert. He is so direct and should provide a lot more quality in attack. Let’s see what he can conjure up. Alex Scott is also on for Julian Araujo with Lewis Cook going to right back.

Dango Ouattara with a great piece of play

My word, that was brilliant from Ouattara. He pushes the ball past Ben White and accelerates past the Arsenal right back easily. He then crosses into a dangerous error but David Raya is off his line quickly to collect. Excellent stuff from Bournemouth who, as predicted, are pressing high and really chucking everything at Arsenal and it’s an end-to-end game now. Prediction: if you like basketball you’ll love the final 30 minutes of this game...

Saka is warming up now!

He pops up on the left this time and Bukayo Saka cuts in and curls a powerful shot just wide of the far post. An audible gasp from the home fans here. Most thought that it was in.

Saka denied as hosts push for a second

Bukayo Saka is played in and his effort goes out for a corner. He whips it in and Bournemouth clear. But Arsenal keep the pressure on and the move ends with Saka’s looping header saved by Kepa.

Kerkez whips in a great cross

Milos Kerkez is right up there with the best left backs in the Premier League. He teases a great cross to the back post but Tavernier just can’t get on the end of it. Bournemouth have to go for it now. Their European dreams are on the line and a defeat here would be very damaging.

Half time: Arsenal 1-0 Bournemouth

The Gunners are ahead thanks to Rice’s goal and they’ve had a few decent chances, but so have Bournemouth. The Gunners have been a bit sloppy at the back and it should probably be level.

David Raya with a loose pass and Evanilson almost lobs home

Well, David Raya will not want to see that again. The Arsenal goalkeeper plays it out to a Bournemouth player and the ball drops to Evanilson who lobs it just over. Moans and groans among the home fans here towards Raya.

Kluivert’s shot deflects over

Justin Kluivert buzzes past Ben White and his shot is probably going in but takes a deflection and goes out for a corner, which Arsenal clear.

Rice puts Arsenal ahead! — Arsenal 1-0 Bournemouth

Martin Odegaard plays a delightful ball through to Declan Rice and he times his run to perfection, rounds Kepa confidently and finishes. Lovely play from Arsenal’s two midfield maestros.

Rice gives Arsenal 1-0 lead over Bournemouth
Arsenal get their breakthrough as Declan Rice finds the back of the net after dribbling past Kepa Arizzabalaga to make it 1-0 against Bournemouth.

Saliba with a great last-ditch tackle

Ouattara is in but Saliba slides in and times the tackle perfectly.

Trossard’s header is saved by Kepa

Good play from Martinelli down the left and he clips in a cross for Trossard who can’t generate enough power on his header and Kepa saves it and keeps it right on the line. Good zip about Arsenal going forward now. They’re building some momentum.

Martinelli now puts a big chance wide!

After Kerkez and Kepa were caught out playing around at the back, the ball drops to Martinelli on the edge of the box and he has a clear sight of goal but drags his effort badly wide. Martinelli snatched at that. Arteta can’t believe it.

Evanilson should put Bournemouth ahead!

A brilliant cross from the left from Kerkez finds Evanilson unmarked after Kiwior slipped. But the Brazilian heads over from six yards out. He has to score that.

Zabarnyi clears off his own line

Ben White clips in a lovely cross and Declan Rice is trying to bundle the ball in at the back post but Illia Zabarnyi calmly clears off his own line. Great defending.

Rice drags a shot wide

Declan Rice is played in nicely by Martinelli but drags his shot wide of the far post.

Bit of a slow start from Arsenal

I think we can probably call this game a slow-burner as it has taken a while to heat up and Arsenal have been a bit sloppy at the back with Bournemouth ready to spring counters. The sun has gone in and there is a chill in the air all of a sudden. Plenty of people wearing shorts here are feeling a little upset at the moment.

Team news is in!

Arsenal have gone basically as strong as possible with that starting lineup with Timber and Merino the only players really given a rest. That is a surprise. Bournemouth’s main man Semenyo is only on the bench, which is a blow to their hopes.

Arsenal lineup

Raya; White, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Saka, Trossard, Martinelli

Bournemouth lineup

Kepa; Araujo, Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez; Adams, Cook; Tavernier, Kluivert, Ouattara; Evanilson


Arsenal team news, focus

The likes of Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Jurrien Timber and Myles Lewis-Skelly are all likely to be rested with Ethan Nwaneri, Zinchenko, Ben White and Kieran Tierney coming in. Arsenal’s focus is of course on PSG but they will be hoping to grab a win at home against Bournemouth to all but secure second place in the Premier League table.

OUT: Riccardo Calafiori (knee), Neto (loan - unable to face parent club), Jorginho (chest), Gabriel Magalhaes (hamstring - MORE), Kai Havertz (hamstring - MORE), Gabriel Jesus (torn ACL - out for season), Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee)

Bournemouth team news, focus

The Cherries received a huge boost ahead of this game as Brazilian striker Evanilson saw his red card overturned and he is no longer suspended. Antoine Semenyo is a huge threat and scored against United last weekend, while Bournemouth have several talented youngsters who could be heading to Premier League this summer with Dean Huijsen, Milos Kerkez and Semenyo all linked with big moves.

OUT: Luis Sinisterra (hamstring), Ryan Christie (groin), Enes Unal (knee)

Arsenal vs Bournemouth prediction

It seems like Arsenal will be a little angry after their midweek defeat against PSG and Arteta will want them to use that in a good way and will challenge some of the fringe players to step up as they could start in midweek. Expect a thriller. Arsenal 3-2 Bournemouth.

Arsenal vs Bournemouth preview

Mikel Arteta’s side lost 1-0 at home in midweek to PSG but all is still to play for in the second leg at the Parc des Princes. In the Premier League they’ve drawn five of their last eight games as Arteta has rotated his Premier League side to keep them fresh for Champions League action. After Liverpool wrapped up the title last weekend, Arsenal are still likely to finish second in the table for a third-straight season. Injuries and prioritizing their progress in the Champions League impacted their title push this season, but Arsenal can still finish this season on a high.

So can Bournemouth, as Andoni Iraola’s side are in the scrap for eighth place in the Premier League which seems very likely to be a European spot. The Cherries coughed up a last-gasp equalizer at home to Manchester United last weekend as they’ve won just once in their last nine games and have really struggled at a crucial part of the season. Still, they’re in the mix to reach Europe for the first time in club history and they have a chance of doing the double over Arsenal this season.