Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres blamed his workforce’s ‘dry pitch’ for lacking an enormous probability late of their 2-1 defeat towards Bournemouth.
Gyokeres fired over the bar from shut vary late on after the ball fell to him with goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic in no man’s land, earlier than lacking two extra gilt-edged possibilities in stoppage time on Saturday.
Mikel Arteta’s aspect fell to a 3rd defeat in 4 video games and their Premier League title possibilities at the moment are in jeopardy.
They maintain a nine-point cushion over Manchester Metropolis, however their northern rivals have two video games in hand and host them on the Etihad subsequent week.
Gyokeres scored a penalty for the Gunners however defined away his late miss by telling the BBC: ‘We had some okay possibilities in the long run. The pitch was possibly a bit dry there to be trustworthy, so that did not assist.
‘All of us must do higher and take our possibilities.
Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres missed this opportunity – after which two extra – within the closing phases towards Bournemouth
The Swedish star pinned the blame on Arsenal’s dry pitch for his big squandered probability
‘We need not get too caught on what occurred at the moment. We have to look ahead, be constructive, and look ahead to the video games.’
In addition to blasting his sitter over the bar, he nodded a 92nd-minute header extensive of the submit earlier than squandering one other probability a minute later.
Gyokeres has come into his personal for the reason that flip of the yr and now has 18 objectives in all competitions.
He confronted criticism for a gradual begin after becoming a member of in a £64million deal from Sporting Lisbon final summer season, however he has hit 11 objectives in 2026 to discourage his critics.
On a day the place Arsenal solely had three pictures on track, his penalty was the one motive that they have been within the hunt for a end result towards Bournemouth.
Eli Junior Kroupi opened the scoring within the first half for Andoni Iraola’s aspect, who at the moment are unbeaten in 12 Premier League matches, a membership report.
Gyokeres then restored parity from the penalty spot earlier than half-time, however Alex Scott netted a 74th-minute winner to dampen spirits on the Emirates.
Some supporters left earlier than full time whereas others stayed to boo off their workforce.
Emotions on the Emirates turned bitter as Arsenal fell to a 3rd defeat of their final 4 matches
The loss may show devastating of their hunt for a primary Premier League title since 2004.
Whereas their league kind stays pretty robust – they received 4 in a row previous to this – performances have change into laboured and their ends in all competitions have been unconvincing.
Their 2-0 defeat by Manchester Metropolis in final month’s Carabao Cup last has been interpreted as a measure of how every workforce’s nerves are holding up for the run-in.
Being knocked out of the FA Cup quarter-finals by Southampton final week solely compounded the troubles, although the Championship membership have been in scintillating kind and had already dumped Fulham out of the competitors.
