Arsenal handed potential blow to Champions League qualification chances as referee error overturned

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Arsenal will have to dust themselves down quickly after defeat to PSG, as the action comes thick and fast after their Champions League meeting.

The Gunners went a goal behind early in the tie as Ousmane Dembele’s finish caught the home side out, with Mikel Arteta unable to find the solutions to make the most of the advantage that the Emirates Stadium can bring them.

While Arsenal are trailing to PSG, there is still another leg in which the side can manage a Champions League comeback.

Before then, a return to the Premier League is on the cards, where the manager will be debating which options he picks for his team.

With Liverpool crowned as champions, there may be a temptation to rotate, though the threat of Champions League qualification still looms large.

Those chances may have taken a slight blow following an overturned refereeing decision.

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Evanilson’s red card suspension overturned ahead of Arsenal vs Bournemouth

Arsenal take on Bournemouth this weekend in a Premier League clash that may well be overshadowed by their second leg encounter with PSG in the Champions League.

Both teams were set to be missing some key players, which included striker Evanilson for Bournemouth, following a red card against Manchester United.

The forward picked up a straight sending off for serious foul play, following a VAR review for a challenge that appeared to include a slip.

There was plenty of frustration from the Cherries, who felt as though the referee had made a mistake in making that call.

It appears as though an independent panel agrees with the assertion that there was a mistake, as the red card has since been rescinded by the FA.

A statement from the FA Spokesperson reads: “An independent Regulatory Commission has removed Evanilson’s three-match ban following a successful claim of wrongful dismissal.”

It means Evanilson is now available for Bournemouth when they make a trip to take on Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

It’s a huge boost for the Cherries, but it could come as a blow to the Gunners, who may have prepared to face them without the striker.

It comes ahead of a key few games for Mikel Arteta and his side, with Champions League qualification still not certain.

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Arsenal still face race for Champions League qualification

With Arsenal missing out on the Premier League title, there is an understandable apathy towards the rest of the league season.

However, the Gunners must avoid being dragged into any kind of race for Champions League qualification with four games left to go.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
1	LiverpoolLiverpool	34	25	7	2	80	32	48	82
2	ArsenalArsenal	34	18	13	3	63	29	34	67
3	NewcastleNewcastle	34	19	5	10	65	44	21	62
4	Man CityManchester City	34	18	7	9	66	43	23	61
5	ChelseaChelsea	34	17	9	8	59	40	19	60
6	Nottm ForestNottingham Forest	33	18	6	9	53	39	14	60

The top five is enough to secure the top European competition, with seven points being a healthy margin over that.

However, defeat to Bournemouth and victories elsewhere could place some significant pressure on Arsenal.

There is some fortune in that Chelsea play Nottingham Forest on the final day, meaning a win this weekend for the Gunners could almost effectively secure a place in the Champions League next season on the virtue of goal difference.

With distractions in the final four of Europe this season, Arsenal cannot let the season drag out in the league, with a poor result against Bournemouth likely to throw the cat amongst the pigeons.