Andoni Iraola has now delivered his honest verdict on Arsenal’s performance yesterday against AFC Bournemouth.
The Gunners secured a comfortable 3-0 win against the Cherries with goals from Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard and Declan Rice wrapping up another three points with two games remaining in the Premier League season.
With Manchester City also winning yesterday, Arsenal are still waiting for that potential slip-up from Pep Guardiola’s side that could send the north London side on their way to a first Premier League title in 20 years.
And Iraola has issued his thoughts on how Arsenal performed yesterday at the Emirates Stadium.
Iraola says Arsenal ‘deserved’ to win against Bournemouth
Speaking post-match via journalist Ryan Taylor, the Cherries manager admitted that Arsenal ‘deserved’ to win yesterday, though Iraola believes Saka’s penalty should not have been awarded and that Dominic Solanke’s goal should have stood.
Iraola said: “First of all I would like to say Arsenal deserved to win today. I don’t agree with the penalty or the decision for the disallowed goal. But I want to repeat, Arsenal deserved to win and were better than us.”
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With Ian Wright also admitting that both decisions should have gone Bournemouth’s way, Arsenal’s penalty has quickly become a contentious talking point given how easily Havertz seemingly went down.
However, aside from this moment, there’s no question that Arsenal should have deserved to win, with the Gunners enjoying a fantastic performance at home against an in-form Bournemouth side.
Arsenal have hit form at the right time this season
It seems almost crazy that Arsenal could drop points in just two Premier League games in 2024 and still not come away with the league title come the end of this season.
Not only does it highlight just how much of a juggernaut taking on City is, but it also shows just how far Arsenal have come under Mikel Arteta, and how the Gunners have hit form at the right time this season.
Indeed, last year saw Arsenal start the campaign in blistering form before burning out at the and of the season, and the lessons learned from that historic year have now set up the north London side with a chance of the Premier League title once again in 2024.