EPL: Bournemouth come from behind to beat lacklustre Arsenal 2-1

Image: Reuters

Arsenal lost further ground on the Premier League`s top four after struggling Bournemouth came from behind to beat them 2-1 on Sunday. 

After Hector Bellerin fired through Asmir Begovic to open the scoring for Arsenal in the 52nd minute, Callum Wilson and Jordon Ibe scored within five second-half minutes to turn the game on its head. 

First Wilson converted Ryan Fraser`s teasing cross to restore parity in the 70th minute before Ibe fired home a second having been teed up by the scorer of Bournemouth`s first.

Alexis Sanchez, heavily linked with an exit from the Emirates, was left out of Arsenal`s squad with manager Arsene Wenger saying before the game that a decision on his future was "imminent".

Having won just one of their last five Premier League matches, Arsenal remain sixth with 39 points - five behind rivals Tottenham Hotspur in fifth. Bournemouth, meanwhile, climb to 13th but remain just four points above the bottom three. 

"It`s a fantastic win because we need to pick up our home form," man-of-the-match Wilson told Sky Sports.

"The fans were flat so we needed to get them back in the game and a goal against a big team got them on their feet and then we added a second.

"It`s a massive lift. Those points lift us further away from the bottom three."

Desperate for a win, the visitors started brightly on the south coast with youngster Ainsley Maitland-Niles firing against the crossbar in the eighth minute. 

Despite dictating much of the early possession Arsenal clearly missed their more illustrious attacking talents with Alexandre Lacazette cutting a lonely figure without the cutting edge of Sanchez and the injured Mesut Ozil. 

Bournemouth grew into the contest before the break and were aggrieved not to receive a penalty when Alex Iwobi appeared to handle Ibe`s cross just moments before a desperate Calum Chambers block kept out Dan Gosling`s goalbound effort.

The break came at the wrong time for the hosts who found themselves behind soon after when Bellerin - set free by a superb Iwobi ball - fired through Begovic`s hand. 

But with a much-needed three points there for the taking, Arsenal capitulated against their spirited hosts.

First Petr Cech was unable to cut out Fraser`s teasing cross with Wilson converting before Ibe smashed home after Wilson did brilliantly to tee him up. 

In search of a late equaliser, Arsenal brought on Theo Walcott and Aaron Ramsey but they were unable to rescue another desperately disappointing afternoon.