Sport
Arsenal title challenge is already hanging in the balance.
If Arsenal miss out on the Premier League title once more this season, they might look back at Sunday’s defeat to Bournemouth as a moment that ultimately cost them. There’s still a long way to go in the 2024/25 campaign, and the Gunners have time to bounce back, but the 2-0 defeat on the south coast felt damaging beyond the loss of just three points.
Indeed, it was a result and a performance that highlighted the fragility of Mikel Arteta’s team. For the third time in just eight Premier League matches this season, Arsenal were reduced to 10 men after the sending off of William Saliba and they didn’t respond well. At no point did it appear Arsenal were going to leave with a positive outcome.
Even before Saliba’s dismissal, Arsenal were timid and tentative in their possession play. Without Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka, they lacked creativity and ideas on how to break down Bournemouth’s defensive line. Gabriel Martinelli might have found the net, but his chance was Arsenal’s only genuine opportunity to score.
It might still be relatively early in the season, but Arsenal’s title challenge is already hanging in the balance. Defeat to Bournemouth opened up a four-point gap between the Gunners and Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table. Another defeat to Liverpool this weekend would widen the gap to seven points. It would take a lot to claw that back.
Saliba will be unavailable through suspension for Sunday’s match between Arsenal and Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium. This will force Arteta to shuffle the pack at the back, with the absence of Saliba something that could leave the Gunners particularly vulnerable in defensive transition, against the pace and direct threat of the Liverpool attack.
Saka could be back for Sunday’s match against the early-season pace-setters, but it’s unlikely Odegaard will be fit enough to feature. This could once again cost Arsenal in terms of their creativity in open play with nobody else in Arteta’s squad capable of performing the role of the Norwegian midfielder.
Arteta has done a lot to build squad depth over the last two seasons, but Arsenal still lack the attacking options of some of their rivals. Leandro Trossard has made an impact off the bench in several matches, but has struggled from the start. Gabriel Jesus continues to struggle for fitness while Raheem Sterling is still being integrated.
However Arsenal line up against Liverpool this weekend, they must keep 11 players on the pitch for the full 90 minutes. Arteta’s game is all about control – in and out of possession – and the Gunners give that up when they are down a man, which has happened too many times this season.
“Playing with 10 men, always there is an issue,” said Arteta after the defeat to Bournemouth. “The truth is, when you analyse it, three very different actions and the outcome of them, the reasons are very different. Regardless of that we cannot continue to play with 10 men, especially at this level. We need to eradicate that, it’s clear. The reasons and how – it doesn’t matter. We have to focus and it has to happen.”
Sunday’s match will reveal plenty about both Arsenal and Liverpool. For the latter, it will be an opportunity to further highlight the progress they are making under Arne Slot and assert themselves as genuine title challengers. Having beaten Chelsea last weekend, Liverpool could make another statement in North London.
Arsenal, however, must take the chance to point themselves in the right direction again. They have been shaken by recent results, injuries and red cards, but Arteta must draw on the experiences of the last two seasons to prove his team is still capable of taking the final step and winning the title.
