DOGGED ARSENAL LEAGUE IT LATE AGAINST RELEGATION-THREATENED BOURNEMOUTH

The league leaders came into the game in fine form having won three of their last Premier League matches, they were focused on getting the three points to increase their lead at the top of the table. Mikel Arteta lined up his team with a 4-3-3 formation, Aaron Ramsdale was in goal, William Saliba and Gabriel were in defence, Martin Odegaard and Ghanaian international Thomas Partey started in midfield, and Leonardo Trossard led the attack. Jorginho and Xhaxa were left on the bench.

Bournemouth lined up in a 5-4-1 formation, a very defensive formation. Neto was in a goal and Dominic Solanke was the only man upfront for Bournemouth.

Bournemouth went ahead in the first minute with their first shot, Phillip Billing beat Ramsdale in goal through a shot from the centre of the box. Arsenal tried to find an equaliser but Neto denied Saka and Odegaard in the fourth and the fifth minute, Arsenal had a penalty shout in the 18th minute but VAR said no penalty. Arsenal tried putting balls into the box but was unable to beat Neto into the goal, Arsenal had another penalty shout in the 34th minute but VAR said no penalty, Arsenal had shots but was unable to keep them on target to threaten the Bournemouth goal, the first half ended with Bournemouth in front courtesy of Billing’s first-minute goal, Bournemouth was very strong defensively and did well in keeping Arsenal out, Neto was by far the busiest of the two goalkeepers.

Arsenal’s coach Arterta made a half-time change with Ben White coming in for Takehiro Tomiyasu. Arsenal kept attacking but was missing chances and they were punished as Bournemouth doubled their lead in the 57th minute through Marcos Sensi, who was assisted by Joe Rothwell. Arsenal pulled one back five minutes through Partey who was assisted by Emile Smith Rowe. Arsenal kept pressing putting balls into the box and they equalised in the 70th minutee, the substitute Ben White makes an impact, his right shot beat Neto in goal, he was assisted by another substitute Reiss Nelson, Arsenal kept pressing, attacking to find a winner. Arsenal had a penalty shout in the 81st minute but was denied by VAR, it was the third penalty shout in the match for Arsenal, the pressure finally paid off deep into stoppage time when Nelson a player that his Arsenal career has been affected by injury plays a nice shot from outside the box to find the bottom corner.

The win took Arsenal five points above second-place Manchester City, they have only twelve matches to play and these three points might be very crucial come match day thirty eight, they face Fulham next in the Premier league.

The defeat means Bournemouth are twenty on the table and is one point behind seventeen-placed Leeds United, they need to start picking up points if they’re to stay up they will face Livethirty-eightich will be very tough for them but they need to find a way to pick up points if there will be any chance of retaining their Premier League status.