Arsenal forward Viktor Gyokeres has blamed the ‘dry pitch’ for his side’s surprise 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday, which sent a major blow to their title hopes.
The North London side suffered their fourth Premier League defeat of the season in front of their home fans as they failed to increase their lead at the top of the standings.
It also marked their third consecutive domestic defeat and they could see their lead at the top of the standings reduced if Manchester City defeat Chelsea in Sunday’s clash at the Stamford Bridge.
Speaking after the match, Gyokeres, who scored Arsenal’s only goal in the encounter, said the dry pitch played a part in his side’s defeat.
“We had some OK chances in the end. The pitch was maybe a bit dry there to be honest, so that didn’t help”, Gyokeres said.
“We all need to do better and take our chances.”
Arsenal went into the clash with the chance to build a 12-point gap at the top of the standings and move closer to a first league title in 22 years.
Eli Junior Kroupi gave the visitors the lead in the first half, but Gyokeres scored a penalty to level matters heading into the break.
Alex Scott struck in the 74th minute and despite Arsenal’s late flurry of chances, the Cherries held on to seal a famous win.
The Gunners remain top of the standings with nine points, although Manchester City now have two games in hand.
However, Gyokeres remains confident that they can go all the way to win the Premier League title.
“Yeah, very confident”, Gyokeres added.
“I think we don’t need to get stuck too much on what happened today and look forward. Think positive and look forward to the games”, he concluded.
Arsenal will now shift their focus to the UEFA Champions League where they will face Sporting CP on Wednesday, hoping to build on their one-goal advantage from the first leg.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
