"This defeat is painful because the match was important", Gyokeres said after the game on 11/4. "Bournemouth played well on the counter-attack, they have quality players and combine effectively. But we should have played better".

The Swedish striker admitted Arsenal did not perform at their usual level in this match. The "Gunners" controlled the game at times, especially after their one-one equalizer, but lacked sharpness in front of goal. "We had a few chances towards the end of the game, but the pitch was a bit dry and that didn't help much", he added. "Despite that, I am still very confident. The whole team should not dwell on this result for too long; we need to look forward and stay positive".

Gyokeres shot wide as Arsenal lost 1-2 to Bournemouth on matchday 32 of the Premier League at Emirates Stadium, London, United Kingdom on 11/4/2026. Photo: Reuters

Gyokeres shot wide as Arsenal lost 1-2 to Bournemouth on matchday 32 of the Premier League at Emirates Stadium, London, United Kingdom on 11/4/2026. Photo: Reuters

Aside from his one-one equalizer from a penalty, Gyokeres missed three opportunities in the final minutes of the match, including one shot that was blocked, a header wide of the post, and a volley over the bar. After one miss, he looked down at the pitch with an expression of blame.

His comments regarding the "dry pitch" quickly became a focal point of debate on social media. On BBC Sport's X account, a post about the 27-year-old striker's statement garnered hundreds of comments within a few hours. Many fans considered it an unconvincing excuse, given that Arsenal was playing at home.

"Dry pitch? Are you serious", commented user @ItsMrFoxy. "Both teams played on a dry pitch. Don't say that".

@MatchChatApp responded: "Dry pitch? Arsenal are playing at home. Does the groundskeeper not even want to help the team win the championship?".

And @Mrjamieohara1 sarcastically remarked: "Perhaps Arsenal players want to play in a swimming pool".

Gyokeres joined Arsenal from Sporting Lisbon in the summer 2025 for a fee that could reach 85 million USD. He has scored 12 goals in 30 Premier League matches this season, a record only surpassed by Erling Haaland (22 goals), Igor Thiago (21), Antoine Semenyo (15), and Joao Pedro (14). Across all competitions, he has also contributed 18 goals for the "Gunners", but he has yet to fully win over the fans.

Arsenal is also showing signs of slowing down at a crucial stage of the season. Mikel Arteta's squad has lost three of four recent matches across all competitions, after a consistent run of form since the start of the season. The loss to Bournemouth cost them the chance to extend their lead to 12 points over second-placed Man City. They even allowed Pep Guardiola's side to take control of the title race, if they win all their remaining matches – including two rescheduled games.

Arsenal will host Sporting in the Champions League quarter-final second leg on 15/4 with a one-goal advantage. Four days later, they face an away trip to Man City, a match that could directly influence the Premier League title race.

By Hoang An