The Albany Gazette - Arsenal suffer Bournemouth defeat ahead of PSG showdown

Mikel Arteta's side took the lead through Declan Rice's opener on his 100th appearance for the club.

But Dean Huijsen equalised in the second half and Evanilson completed the comeback to give Bournemouth their first ever away win over Arsenal.

Beaten 1-0 by PSG in the Champions League semi-final first leg on Tuesday, Arsenal will need a much-improved performance in the second leg in Paris on Wednesday.

The second-placed Gunners also still require six points to guarantee Champions League qualification for next season via a top five finish in the Premier League.

Arteta admitted this week that it was "very painful" to watch Liverpool celebrate winning the Premier League title last weekend.

The Gunners finished as runners-up behind Manchester City for the last two seasons and the Champions League is their last hope of a trophy this term.

Arteta is still waiting to win the second trophy of his six-year Arsenal reign, with his last silverware coming in the 2020 FA Cup.

Arsenal last reached the Champions League final in 2006 and have never won the tournament.

With so much at stake in the Parc des Princes next week, it was intriguing to see Arteta select a full strength side for a relatively meaningless game against Bournemouth.

Instead of resting, key stars Rice, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and William Saliba were all in Arsenal's starting line-up.

Jurrien Timber and Mikel Merino were the notable absentees for Arsenal, with Arteta revealing the former will need a fitness test to determine his availability for the PSG game.

- Sucker punch -

Bournemouth arrived in north London with an outside chance of qualifying for Europe and had already beaten Arsenal at the Vitality Stadium in October.

Evanilson started for Bournemouth after his red card against Manchester United was overturned.

The Brazilian forward wasted a golden opportunity when he headed over after Jakub Kiwior slipped while trying to clear Milos Kerkez's cross.

Leandro Trossard went close to the opener as the Arsenal forward stooped to meet Martinelli's cross with a header that forced a good save from Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Rice made the breakthrough in the 34th minute, running onto Odegaard's precise pass and rounding Kepa to slot into the empty net before celebrating with a bow to the crowd.

Evanilson nearly caught out David Raya with a lob from 40 yards after the Arsenal keeper miscued a pass to the striker.

Saka should have done better than head tamely at Kepa from Martinelli's cross immediately after the interval.

Saka went closer moments later, nimbly cutting inside for a curler that fizzed past the far post.

Arsenal had failed to win nine league games in which they held the lead this season, a failing that played a major role in their title race surrender.

And once again Arteta's side were rocked by a sucker punch as Bournemouth levelled with their first effort on target in the 67th minute.

Antoine Semenyo launched a long throw into the Arsenal area and Huijsen eluded Rice as he climbed to loop a header over Raya into the far corner from six yards.

The Gunners had lost their way and Evanilson made them pay in the 75th minute.

Marcus Tavernier flicked the ball towards the far post and Evanilson poked home, with Bournemouth finally able to celebrate after a VAR check for a potential handball.

(D.Lewis--TAG)