Revealed: Saliba has RUINED Arsenal's title hopes

Cameron Smith

• 21 Oct 2024 13:00 BST
• 2 min read

Arsenal’s chances of winning the 2024-25 Premier League title have taken a major hit following their shock 2-0 loss to Bournemouth on Saturday.

Second-half goals from Ryan Christie and Justin Kluivert condemned Mikel Arteta’s side to their first league defeat of the season and ensured they are now four points behind table-toppers Liverpool after eight matches.

William Saliba was shown a straight red card in the first-half at the Vitality Stadium after his last-man foul on Bournemouth’s record signing Evanilson.

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On-field referee Rob Jones initially brandished the yellow card, but he changed his mind after consulting the VAR screen and the Frenchman was shown his marching orders in the 30th minute.

Arteta has suggested that Arsenal will not appeal the decision, meaning Saliba will be unavailable for selection during their crucial upcoming league game against Liverpool.

The Frenchman will be sorely missed in the crunch match at the Emirates Stadium and Arsenal’s hopes of a first Premier League title since 2004 may already be over.

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According to the Opta supercomputer, Arsenal’s chances of glory this campaign have diminished significantly as a result of their defeat to Bournemouth.

The Gunners were deemed to have a 19.6% chance of winning the league before Saturday evening, but that number has reduced to just 11.3% in the wake of their first defeat of the campaign.

Meanwhile, Manchester City are runaway favourites, with a 75.5% chance of retaining the Premier League trophy, as per Opta.

Arsenal’s discipline issue

Arsenal have now received three red cards so far this season and their ill-discipline has already cost them massively in 2024-25.

This campaign, the Gunners have won all five Premier League games in which they ended the match with 11 men on the field, with two draws and one defeat in the three games they had a man sent off.

Furthermore, they have been shown 18 red cards since Arteta’s arrival in 2019 - the most of any Premier League club during that time.