Arsenal fell to defeat once again in the Premier League as Bournemouth got the better of them in a stunning second-half turnaround at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners entered the match with the backdrop of their Champions League semi-final clash with PSG looming large.
Despite that, Mikel Arteta still named a strong team and looked to build some momentum with his Arsenal side in the match.
While Declan Rice opened the scoring, second-half goals from transfer target Dean Huijsen and striker Evanilson handed Bournemouth all three points.
While Arsenal’s defeat to Bournemouth would’ve left plenty of frustration out there for the side, there was a VAR call that many felt had gone against the side.
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Ex-PGMOL chief Keith Hackett backs VAR call in Arsenal vs Bournemouth
Arsenal’s defeat to Bournemouth was a painful one, which was only exacerbated by a potential VAR call that went against them.
Evanilson, who scored the winner for the Cherries, scored with what appeared to be his elbow, though it was inconclusive exactly which body part he scored with.
As a result, the goal stood, with the Premier League releasing a statement on the Evanilson handball, claiming it wasn’t clear enough to rule the goal out.
While many different opinions flew around in regards to the decision, former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett has backed the VAR call.
Taking to X, he said: “I am not convinced that this is clear enough to rule the goal out. Difficult decision for the match officials.”
It may be a frustrating moment for Arsenal, but one that was clearly tough to differentiate, with the VAR looking at the replay many times before sticking with the decision.
It was a moment further explained by former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher.
Dermot Gallagher gives verdict on Arsenal VAR call
Keith Hackett isn’t the only former official to back the VAR decision given against Arsenal, with ex-Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher giving a similar reasoning on Sky Sports’ Ref Watch.
He said of the situation: “I would [say it’s the right decision] because I was watching this live and they watched it and watched it and watched it and I just come to the conclusion that if you have to watch it that many times and you don’t think it’s handball, give the on-field decision.”
It shows a relatively unanimous view of the call, one that Arsenal may still feel aggrieved by afterwards.
The biggest challenge now will be to rebound, with the Champions League clash against PSG coming up.
As for the Premier League, the race for a top-five finish is heating up, and the Gunners will want to avoid being dragged into a qualification race.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 1 |  LiverpoolLiverpool | 35 | 25 | 7 | 3 | 81 | 35 | 46 | 82 |
| 2 |  ArsenalArsenal | 35 | 18 | 13 | 4 | 64 | 31 | 33 | 67 |
| 3 |  Man CityManchester City | 35 | 19 | 7 | 9 | 67 | 43 | 24 | 64 |
| 4 |  NewcastleNewcastle | 35 | 19 | 6 | 10 | 66 | 45 | 21 | 63 |
| 5 |  ChelseaChelsea | 35 | 18 | 9 | 8 | 62 | 41 | 21 | 63 |
| 6 |  Nottm ForestNottingham Forest | 34 | 18 | 6 | 10 | 53 | 41 | 12 | 60 |
| 7 |  Aston VillaAston Villa | 35 | 17 | 9 | 9 | 55 | 49 | 6 | 60 |
With three games remaining, it could be a tense finish for the north London outfit.
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