Bournemouth stunned Arsenal, ending the Gunners’ unbeaten start to the season with a 2-0 victory at Vitality Stadium. The match took a decisive turn early when Arsenal’s William Saliba received the first red card of his career, leaving his team to battle with 10 men for over 60 minutes.
The French international was sent off just before the half-hour mark after tripping Evanilson near the center circle. The error stemmed from an under-pressure pass by Leandro Trossard, putting Saliba in a tough position. Arsenal, who had previously shown resilience in tight matches against Manchester City and Brighton, faced a new challenge: holding out for more than an hour with a man down.
Despite their best efforts, Arsenal’s defense was eventually undone in the 70th minute. A clever corner routine from Bournemouth saw Ryan Christie smash a brilliant shot into the top corner, assisted by a flick from substitute Justin Kluivert. Just nine minutes later, Kluivert sealed the win by converting a penalty, awarded after Evanilson was brought down by Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya.
The result marked a significant turnaround for Bournemouth, who had lost their last four league encounters against Arsenal by a combined score of 13-2. With this win, Bournemouth not only secured a crucial three points but also moved up to 10th in the Premier League table, ending Arsenal’s unbeaten run in dramatic fashion.
Since Mikel Arteta’s first game in charge of Arsenal on Boxing Day 2019, the Gunners have received 18 RED CARDS in the Premier League, at least five more than any other side.
