Arsenal prepared for their upcoming Champions League semi-final second leg match against Paris St Germain with an unexpected 2-1 home loss to Bournemouth.
Declan Rice put Arsenal in the lead after 34 minutes, but Bournemouth, led by Andoni Iraola, made a strong comeback in the second half at the Emirates Stadium.
Dean Huijsen scored the equalizer in the 67th minute, and just eight minutes later, Evanilson scored the winning goal, securing a league double over Arsenal for Bournemouth and improving their chances for European qualification.
Manager Mikel Arteta had set a new target for Arsenal to finish second in the Premier League after Liverpool won the title, but Manchester City's recent victory against Wolves has narrowed the gap to three points.
This was Arsenal's fourth league defeat this season, putting them in a position where they might have to fight for a top-five finish in the next few weeks. However, first, they have a crucial match against PSG midweek, where they need to overturn a one-goal deficit to reach the Champions League final.
Despite the importance of the upcoming match, Arteta made only two changes, one of which was enforced due to Jurrien Timber's injury absence.
Mikel Merino, who had been playing as a forward for Arsenal recently, was moved to the bench, allowing Rice to have more freedom in the attack. Rice missed an early opportunity in the game before Arsenal opened the scoring through his eighth goal of the season.
Bournemouth had their chances, with Evanilson missing a clear opportunity and Kluivert's effort being deflected behind. However, with Huijsen's equalizer and Evanilson's winner, the visitors secured a memorable victory at the Emirates Stadium.