Mikel Arteta insists Arsenal “cannot feel sorry” for themselves after playing more than an hour with 10 men in their 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth, following William Saliba’s red card at the Vitality Stadium.
The French defender, 23, was sent off following a VAR review after bringing down Bournemouth forward Evanilson.
Referee Robert Jones initially gave Saliba a yellow card for the offence, which occurred near the halfway line, but did not allow play to resume, with the VAR Jarred Gillett checking the incident for a red card offence.
Gillett recommended Jones review the incident on the pitchside monitor and the referee reversed his decision, giving Saliba a red card.
It was the third time in eight Premier League matches that an Arsenal player has been shown a red card, and Arteta admitted Saliba’s dismissal changed the game.
“We are very disappointed with the result and gutted because we had to play in that context again,” Arteta said. “To do it (playing with 10 men) for 65 or 68 minutes at this level, it’s just an impossible task.
“It was a decision made on the pitch (the red card). That decision was changed. I don’t think it will change twice. The decision has been made.”
It was a frustrating evening for Arteta’s side, who struggled to create chances even before Saliba’s red card, with Bukayo Saka sidelined due to a hamstring injury. Goals from Ryan Christie and a penalty from Justin Kluivert sealed all three points for Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth.
With captain Martin Odegaard also sidelined by an ankle injury and Saliba now suspended for Arsenal’s next Premier League fixture against Liverpool, Arteta will be hoping his side can bounce back when they face Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Pressed on how his team will respond after a disappointing loss, he said: “Using the pain we are feeling at the moment for Tuesday, that’s the way to do it. Not feeling sorry for yourself: ‘oh it happened again’, ‘it happened three times in eight matches’, ‘we are missing our captain and one of our best players (Saka) and Jurrien (Timber).’ That’s not going to take us anywhere. Leave the energy. These boys deserve it because of the way they try and how they want it. Go again on Tuesday and that’s it.”
(Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)
