Arsenal's pursuit of a first league title in 22 years was dealt a major blow as Alex Scott's second-half strike gave Bournemouth a deserved 2-1 victory at the Emirates Stadium. Defeat meant the hosts missed the chance to extend their lead at the top of the table to 12 points before second-placed Manchester City's game against Chelsea on Sunday.
Junior Kroupi gave the visitors an early lead before Viktor Gyokeres equalised from the penalty spot, but Scott's cool finish 16 minutes from time settled a tense contest. The result extended Bournemouth's unbeaten league run to 12 matches, the club's longest ever streak in the competition, while leaving a nervous, lethargic Arsenal deflated and forced to contemplate the unthinkable.
A Rallying Call That Never Reached the Pitch
Mikel Arteta had urged the Arsenal supporters to bring their "breakfast, lunch and dinner" and create a hostile atmosphere for the lunchtime kick-off, conscious that early starts so often lend themselves to a subdued mood. Supporters arrived full of hope after the late Champions League win over Sporting in midweek, but the manager's message did not translate to his players, who produced a sluggish and nervy performance against a side in action for the first time in three weeks.