Mikel Arteta described Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat against Bournemouth, which blows the Premier League title door wide open to Manchester City, as a “big punch in the face”.
Arsenal’s sobering loss – their third in a row domestically – inside a nerve-fuelled Emirates Stadium provides City with the chance to reduce the Gunners’ nine-point lead to six when they face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Five days after beating Sporting Lisbon in the opening leg of their Champions League quarter-final, Arsenal were desperately off the boil.
Junior Kroupi put Bournemouth ahead after 17 minutes before Viktor Gyokeres clawed Arsenal back into the game from the penalty spot.
However, Alex Scott restored the hosts’ advantage in the second half and Arteta’s shell-shocked side failed to find a response of any sort.
“It’s a big punch in the face, and extremely disappointing,” said Arteta. “That’s what I said to the boys.
“There are no grey areas. Today there were some very basic things that we did extremely badly. When you do that, they’re going to capitalise, and it becomes very chaotic and very difficult to control.
“We have to look at ourselves. We have to suffer. It’s painful. It’s a terrible feeling. But tomorrow is a different day. And if somebody would have said to me in August, we are in this position right now in April, I’m sure we would all have taken it.”
Arsenal have finished runners-up for the past three seasons, and their latest defeat not only hands the championship momentum to City, but again raises serious questions about their title-winning mentality.
The two rivals meet at the Etihad Stadium next Sunday, and should Pep Guardiola’s side triumph in that match, see off Chelsea on Sunday, and also beat Burnley on April 22 they would be level on points with the Gunners with five games remaining.
But Arteta, who was without Bukayo Saka, Jurrien Timber, Martin Odegaard and Riccardo Calafiori through injury on Saturday, said: “We can’t control that. What we can control is our performances over the last nine months.
“Anything that is said when you have a defeat at home, you have to accept that. There are no excuses. It’s about how we’re going to stand up, first of all, individually, and then as a team to change that immediately on Wednesday (against Sporting in the second leg).
“So, we need everything. We need everybody fit and available. The ones that were not involved today are really big, important players, and we need them immediately with us because then we’re going to be much stronger.
“And then the other ones, they need to stand up. Me, being the first one, and embrace this challenge and go for it.”
Bournemouth’s victory extends their unbeaten streak to 12 – a new club record in the top flight.
Manager Andoni Iraola said: “I am very pleased with the performance, the win, and I am happy with the players.
“The team is there and competing for every game, and considering the stage of the season, and how much was in play, the players deserved it.”
