Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has admitted that William Saliba’s first-half red card left his team with an “impossible” task, as they fell to a 2-0 defeat against Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday.
The Gunners were reduced to 10 men following Saliba’s dismissal for a last-man foul after Leandro Trossard’s misplaced back pass put him under pressure.
Bournemouth capitalized on the numerical advantage, with Ryan Christie and Justin Kluivert finding the net in the second half to secure the home side’s win.
Speaking after the match, Arteta expressed his disappointment with the outcome. “We are obviously very disappointed with the result and gutted because we had to play another game in that context. With 10 men for 60, 65 minutes at this level, it’s just impossible,” the Spaniard said.
Commenting on the red card incident, Arteta added: “It was a decision made on the pitch. That decision was changed. Now I don’t think the decision is going to change again. So, decision made.
“Willy has never done anything like this, but he doesn’t do it on purpose. It happens. We have to accept it, move on, and have that pain we are feeling for Tuesday [against Shakhtar Donetsk].”