Arsenal’s focus on their European ambitions came at a price on Saturday. With one eye clearly on the Champions League semi-final second leg against PSG, Mikel Arteta’s men suffered a surprising 2-1 defeat at the hands of Bournemouth at the Emirates. It was a match they had dominated for over an hour, only to collapse late in the game and risk compromising their position in the Premier League table.
Despite fielding all of their starters, the Gunners looked mentally absent in the closing stages. Declan Rice had given them the lead in the 34th minute, celebrating his 100th appearance with a well-taken strike. But Bournemouth never gave up: Huijsen levelled with a header from a long throw in the 67th minute, and Evanilson completed the comeback eight minutes later. The VAR check for a possible handball came up inconclusive, and the goal stood. While Arsenal ponder how to beat PSG midweek, Bournemouth climbs to 53 points, pushing for a potential European berth.
Elsewhere, Aston Villa reignited their push for a top-five finish with a narrow 1-0 win over Fulham. Youri Tielemans scored the match-winner in the 12th minute with a powerful header from a McGinn corner. Villa now sit level on 60 points with Chelsea and Nottingham Forest and will face Bournemouth, Spurs, and Manchester United in their final matches.
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In the other fixtures, Leicester picked up their first win since January 26 with a 2-0 victory over Southampton in a clash between relegated sides. Ipswich completed a dramatic late comeback to draw 2-2 at Goodison Park, leaving Everton with just one win in their last ten outings.
