Mikel Arteta described Arsenal's defeat to Bournemouth as "a big punch in the face", after the Cherries blew the Premier League title race wide open on Saturday.

Goals from Junior Kroupi and Alex Scott guided Andoni Iraola's side to a deserved 2-1 win at the Emirates Stadium, where boos rang out at full-time.

Arsenal were lacklustre in attack throughout the contest, only getting back on level terms in the first half through a Viktor Gyokeres penalty. Of the Gunners' total of 2.2 expected goals (xG), a mere 0.19 came from open play.

Since Opta began recording xG stats in 2021-22, only once have they fared worse in a Premier League home match, against Crystal Palace in October 2025 (0.17). 

Arsenal have now lost three of their last four matches in all competitions (W1) - as many defeats as they had in their opening 49 games this season (W37 D8) - also suffering defeat in the EFL Cup final and exiting the FA Cup against second-tier Southampton.

Should Manchester City defeat Chelsea on Sunday, Pep Guardiola's team will move six points behind the Gunners with a game in hand, ahead of the top two facing off at the Etihad Stadium next week.

Speaking to TNT Sports after full-time, Arteta said: "It's disappointing. It's a big punch in the face, and it's about how we react now. They [Bournemouth] are a team who haven't lost for 11 games for a reason, they did a lot right.

"We were far from efficient. The first chance they had to attack the box, it's a deflection, a bad defensive action and it's a goal. That's something we have to recover from.

"In the second half, you expect a different game. We did a lot of strange things today. We have been very consistent. This can happen; this is football."

Arsenal face Sporting CP in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie on Wednesday, with that huge trip to Manchester following four days later.

Despite the pressure ramping up on his team, Arteta is adamant everyone at the club would have taken this position at the start of the season.

Asked how much the defeat hurt, the Gunners boss added: "A lot. It has to hurt. The players have to take it on the chin. 

"You stand up and go for the fight, or you're out. It's a big week, with a lot at stake. We're still in a good position in both competitions.

"It's painful. It's a terrible feeling, but tomorrow is a different day and if we said to people in August this would be our position in April, we would all take it."