Arsenal: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly, Zubimendi, Rice, Havertz, Martinelli, Madueke, Gyokeres

Subs: Kepa, Mosquera, Salmon, Hincapie, Norgaard, Eze, Dowman, Trossard, Jesus

Arsenal missed a major chance to strengthen their Premier League title hopes after losing 2-1 to Bournemouth on Saturday, despite a first half strike from Viktor Gyokeres.

Mikel Arteta made three changes from the side that beat Sporting last time out with Myles Lewis-Skelly, Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz all coming in to start.

Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber missed out on the matchday squad for the third successive game, with Martin Odegaard and Riccardo Calafiori joining them on the injury list despite featuring in Lisbon.

FIRST HALF

It was an even start to the game with Arsenal dominating possession and trying to build from the back but Bournemouth were doing a good job of pressing high and cutting out potential passing lanes.

There were some good early moments for Arteta’s men in transition but their play lacked conviction, and it was Bournemouth who took the lead after the Gunners’ backline was caught far too open with one simple pass – allowing Eli Junior Kroupi to tap in at the back post. 0-1.

Ben White and Noni Madueke were sleeping defensively in the lead up to the goal, with Christie able to find the overlapping Truffert far too easily.

There was a golden chance for Arsenal to equalise almost instantly when Declan Rice did well to win the ball in midfield and help force a corner, but Kai Havertz couldn’t convert a free header from six yards out. Replays showed it came off his shoulder and bobbled over.

With half an hour on the clock, that header was the hosts’ only chance of the game and the technical level of the team kept falling short in key areas with heavy touches and misplaced passes.

But Arsenal were given a lifeline when an awkward corner into the near post caused Bournemouth problems and after they failed to clear, Gabriel saw his goalbound effort blocked by the raised arm of Christie and referee Michael Oliver pointed to the spot.

The Cherries were furious but replays showed it was a clear handball – VAR confirmed the decision – and Viktor Gyokeres whacked a perfect penalty past Petrovic and into the corner. 1-1.

Gyokeres has now scored 18 goals across all competitions for the club this season, only Thierry Henry and Alexis Sanchez scored more in their debut seasons.

The game became very stop-start after the equaliser with both sides making a number of small fouls across the pitch, and there were nearly moments at both ends when a Scott free kick just missed Hill at the back post, before Rice put in another dangerous delivery that Bournemouth did well to clear.

Arteta will have been happy to go in level at half time but the game (and the pattern of the game) went largely as expected with team that was selected.

SECOND HALF

Neither side made a change at half time but it took seven minutes for Arteta to prepare a triple change with Eberechi Eze, Leandro Trossard and Max Dowman replacing Havertz, Martinelli and Madueke who had struggled to impact the game.

However, there was a heart-in-mouth moment for David Raya straight after those changes when his lackadaisical flick from inside his own box almost fell straight to Evanilson.

Beyond that nervy moment, those changes didn’t quite have the desired effect with Bournemouth taking charge of the game again although Gyokeres did have the ball in the net after running beyond the Cherries backline – but it was ruled out for offside.

There must have been a ten-minute period where Arsenal could not keep any kind of possession as Bournemouth hoovered up every long ball, with the home crowd becoming increasingly frustrated and restless at what they were watching.

Finally there was some drive shown from somebody in a red shirt when Rice drove through midfield before his long range effort was tipped over by Petrovic.

And just as Arsenal looked like finding a second wind, Bournemouth put themselves back in front when Zubimendi failed to track Scott making a third man run from midfield, who was found by Evanilson before finishing well past Raya. 1-2.

You can’t say Bournemouth didn’t deserve it but this was another goal that felt more than avoidable from an Arsenal perspective.

Gyokeres almost found himself in the right place to equalise again when Petrovic came and flapped from a free kick, but his goalbound effort was somehow blocked by Hill who stuck out a leg and deflected out for a corner.

The Gunners were becoming increasingly frantic and Gabriel almost found himself through on goal after getting beyond Senesi but a brilliant late tackle from Jimenez stopped him scoring at the final second.

Gyokeres had another moment in front of goal after being found by Gabriel Jesus but after dipping inside on his right foot, was eventually crowded out and shot wide without testing the goalkeeper.

The referee’s final whistle was met by a chorus of boos and three defeats in four was not how Arteta or Arsenal imagined their post-international break run in. Leaky in defence, not good enough in attack, an afternoon to forget.