Arsenal stunned at home

Arsenal lost 2-1 to Bournemouth at the Emirates on Saturday, opening the Premier League title race with seven matches left. (footballwebpages.co.uk) Junior Kroupi put Bournemouth ahead in the 17th minute, Viktor Gyokeres equalized from the penalty spot in the 35th, and Alex Scott scored the winner in the 74th. The attendance was 60,210. (espn.com) (footballwebpages.co.uk) Mikel Arteta said the defeat was “a big punch in the face” and called Arsenal’s display “strange” after supporters booed at the final whistle. He said, “There are no excuses.” (espn.com) Arsenal stayed first on 70 points after 31 matches, but Manchester City had 61 points from 30 matches before playing Chelsea on Sunday, April 12. Arsenal and City are scheduled to meet at the Etihad Stadium on April 19. (premierleague.com) (footballwebpages.co.uk) The loss was Arsenal’s third in four matches in all competitions, and their third straight domestic defeat after the Carabao Cup final against City and the Football Association Cup exit to Southampton. Arsenal have finished second in each of the past three Premier League seasons. (espn.com 1) (espn.com 2) Arteta was without Bukayo Saka, Jurrien Timber, Martin Odegaard and Riccardo Calafiori on Saturday, and he said those absences involved “really big, important players.” Arsenal host Sporting Club de Portugal in the Champions League quarterfinal second leg on Wednesday. (espn.com) Bournemouth arrived in strong form. Arteta said they “haven’t lost in 11 games for a reason,” while match coverage described the win as extending the visitors’ unbeaten top-flight run to 12 games. (espn.com) (telegraph.co.uk) Arsenal’s next league match now carries even more weight. A home defeat that drew boos has turned April 19 at Manchester City from a major fixture into the clearest test yet of whether Arteta’s side can still finish first. (espn.com) (footballwebpages.co.uk)