LONDON, BERITAPOLITIK.ONLINE — Arsenal suffered a shocking 1-2 defeat at home against Bournemouth on Saturday (May 3, 2025), just days before a crucial Champions League semi-final clash with Paris Saint-Germain. Despite taking the lead through Declan Rice, the Gunners failed to hold on, with late goals from Dean Huijsen and Evanilson sealing a historic comeback for the visitors.
Declan Rice’s Opener Overshadowed by Defensive Collapse
The night started well for Arsenal as Declan Rice opened the scoring in the 34th minute on his 100th appearance for the club. The goal was beautifully set up by Martin Ødegaard, who threaded a perfect through-ball past Bournemouth’s defense.
But Ødegaard’s brilliance was short-lived. A careless turnover from the captain early in the second half allowed Bournemouth to grow in confidence and push for an equalizer.
Second-Half Collapse: Set Pieces Punish the Gunners
Arsenal’s defensive frailties were exposed again after halftime. Despite Bukayo Saka going close with a curling shot, it was Bournemouth who struck back.
In the 67th minute, Dean Huijsen headed in from a long throw-in that Arsenal’s backline completely misread. Just eight minutes later, Evanilson capitalized on a deflected corner to tap in the winner from close range. The goal was subject to a lengthy VAR check for potential handball but was ultimately allowed to stand.
Three Games Without a Win: Pressure Mounts on Arteta
The defeat marked Arsenal’s third consecutive game without a win in all competitions. Mikel Arteta’s decision to start a full-strength lineup days before their trip to Paris has been widely criticized, especially as PSG opted to rest 10 of their regular starters this weekend.
“We should’ve finished the game earlier. But our defending was way below our usual standard,” said a visibly frustrated Arteta post-match. “We wanted to create positive momentum, but we’ve instead created frustration, anger, and disappointment.”
Arsenal trail 0-1 on aggregate to PSG and now face an uphill battle in Paris with morale at a low.
Premier League Table Tightens
The defeat keeps Arsenal second in the Premier League standings, still needing six points from their remaining three matches to secure Champions League qualification. Aston Villa added pressure to the top-five race with a 1-0 win over Fulham, thanks to Youri Tielemans’ early header.
Meanwhile, Bournemouth’s win marks their first-ever away victory over Arsenal in Premier League history and boosts their chances of qualifying for European competition.
Premier League Results – Saturday, May 3, 2025:
Arsenal 1-2 Bournemouth
(Rice 34’ | Huijsen 67’, Evanilson 75’)Aston Villa 1-0 Fulham
(Tielemans 12’)Everton 2-0 Ipswich
(Beto 26’, McNeil 35’)Leicester 2-0 Southampton
(Vardy 17’, Ayew 44’)
