Arsenal’s comfortable 3-0 win over Bournemouth was overshadowed by yet another controversial refereeing decision.

Ryan Christie’s dangerous tackle on Bukayo Saka left Arsenal players and fans baffled as it went unpunished, despite a VAR review.

Arsenal's English midfielder #07 Bukayo Saka (R) waits to come back into play after clashing with Bournemouth's English midfielder #04 Lewis Cook during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Bournemouth at the Emirates Stadium, in London, on May 4, 2024. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Arsenal’s English midfielder #07 Bukayo Saka (R) waits to come back into play after clashing with Bournemouth’s English midfielder #04 Lewis Cook during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Bournemouth at the Emirates Stadium, in London, on May 4, 2024. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Quite how Ryan Christie remained on the pitch as Arsenal beat Bournemouth 3-0 at the Emirates is a question only the officials can answer. They won’t, of course. For the third Arsenal match in a row, we saw a clear and dangerous red card tackle on an Arsenal player go unpunished, despite being looked at by VAR.

In this instance, when Christie went flying into Bukayo Saka, catching him with a straight leg and his entire boot, it wasn’t even a free kick.

VAR looked at it. Reckless but not dangerous they decided, therefore no red card. Under FA guidelines, reckless challenges warrant a yellow card but not a red. VAR cannot instruct referees to retroactively award yellow cards.

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It was a total joke, especially as Christie continued to put in more yellow-card challenges without even being spoken to until the 95th minute of the 98 played, when he was finally booked.

As you can see, there is no excuse for a tackle that leaves this sort of mark going unpunished.

Bukao Saka's leg after the Christie 'challenge'
Bukao Saka’s leg after the Christie ‘challenge’ (Image: Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images)

Much will be made about the soft penalty that Arsenal were awarded in the first half (the type Harry Kane and Wayne Rooney were always ‘clever’ for winning) and the soft foul (but still a foul) on David Raya that saw Bournemouth’s goal ruled out, but more needs to be made of tackles like this and the flat out refusal of PGMOL to take player safety seriously.

After a week that saw Ben White targeted as a ‘cheat’ in multiple national newspaper columns, what is a bigger danger to the game? Refs who cannot assure the safety of players or White doing what every other team have done a thousand times before?

It is only luck that has protected Arsenal’s players, especially in the last three games.

Another serious injury is surely just around the corner if this is allowed to continue.

Arsenal secure comfortable 3-0 win over Bournemouth

Arsenal's English midfielder #41 Declan Rice (L) celebrates scoring the team's third goal during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Bournemouth at the Emirates Stadium, in London, on May 4, 2024. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Arsenal’s English midfielder #41 Declan Rice (L) celebrates scoring the team’s third goal during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Bournemouth at the Emirates Stadium, in London, on May 4, 2024. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Arsenal extended their Premier League lead to four points with a convincing 3-0 victory over Bournemouth at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners dominated the match, producing 3.98 expected goals (xG) while limiting the Cherries to just 0.37 xG.

Arsenal absolutely battered Bournemouth in the first half but Bukayo Saka only opened the scoring near the break from the penalty spot after Kai Havertz was fouled in the box. Leandro Trossard doubled Arsenal‘s lead in the 70th minute with a smart finish assisted by Declan Rice.

Bournemouth briefly thought they’d pulled one back through Antoine Semenyo, but the goal was disallowed for a foul on Raya. Rice sealed the victory in the final seconds, shortly after being named Player of the Match by TNT Sports, slotting home a through-ball from Gabriel Jesus.

Mikel Arteta’s press conference

LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 04: Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal, applauds the fans after the team's victory in the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and AFC Bournemouth at Emirates Stadium on May 04, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 04: Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal, applauds the fans after the team’s victory in the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and AFC Bournemouth at Emirates Stadium on May 04, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Arteta was inevitably asked about the VAR calls in the game but would not be drawn into any sort of drama, adopting the Arsene Wenger approach. “The honest answer is I haven’t seen any of the incidents because I knew you were going to ask me,” Arteta said. “The analyst said, do you want to watch it? And I said, ‘no’, because then I’m going to tell the truth. I haven’t seen them, so I cannot comment. I can’t have an impression. The one on David [Raya], the foul, I cannot see because it’s too far.

“On the one on Bukayo, is that on purpose or not? I don’t know. So difficult for me to judge.

“I was happy when I saw the [Kai Havertz penalty] decision, very happy. And I was happier when Bukayo scored the goal. Kai is not someone that dives, but I haven’t seen the image.”

Asked about the game itself, Arteta thought the first half was one of the best Arsenal had produced all season. “We played probably the best first have we’ve played all season,” he said. “I think we were unbelievable, everything flowed, we were super composed on the ball, really aggressive without the ball, we generated so many chances and could have scored three, four, five easily. And we didn’t.

“We scored one and then credit to Bournemouth as well. They changed a few things, they created us some issues and the game became a little bit more open, something that we wanted to avoid.

“But within that game as well we resolved certain situations in the right way and we were very efficient in front of goal to score the goals and maintain another clean sheet.

“Yes, at one-nil against the quality of the opponents we played, you have to navigate through those [nervy] moments and we knew that.

“If you score two, three, four in the first half, obviously that’s a different game. We didn’t, so you don’t, so you better be so good at managing those moments.”

Mikel Arteta post-Bournemouth interview

Declan Rice post-Bournemouth interview

Arsenal's English midfielder #41 Declan Rice scores the team's third goal during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Bournemouth at the Emirates Stadium, in London, on May 4, 2024. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Arsenal’s English midfielder #41 Declan Rice scores the team’s third goal during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Bournemouth at the Emirates Stadium, in London, on May 4, 2024. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

After his goal, assist, and Player of the Match performance, Rice spoke to TNT Sports.

“I think you see in the first half it was domination,” Rice said. “We could have been 4 or 5 up if I’m being honest with you. I missed a sitter, and I was fuming to be honest. I couldn’t let it go and I knew there was an opportunity for me today to score and assist.

“Even for my goal then, you know, I was back in my own half and I just sensed it. All their players were out on their feet and I just kept going and going and arrived in a position that I’ve done quite frequently today. Goal, assist, and three points, yeah. After speaking yesterday, it’s what we needed.”

When asked if he prefers scoring or assisting, Rice said, “Do you know what? I do like assisting. It just feels good for some reason. I’m sure all the top players in the world would say that as well, when they assist. It’s just something with feeling. Especially for me because I don’t get to do it much. But I’m delighted.

Arsenal's English midfielder #41 Declan Rice celebrates scoring the team's third goal during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Bournemouth at the Emirates Stadium, in London, on May 4, 2024. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Arsenal’s English midfielder #41 Declan Rice celebrates scoring the team’s third goal during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Bournemouth at the Emirates Stadium, in London, on May 4, 2024. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

“Like I said, it was a big result because they’ve been in some top form. They’re a really good team. Big respect to them. But we knew today it was business and we had to handle it.”

Rice also hailed Saka’s coolness, stepping up to slot home after Arsenal had missed a host of chances and it was starting to feel as if it could be one of ‘those’ days. “You know, fair play to him. Ever since the Euros when he missed the penalty, I think his mindset on penalties, and the way he practices them and the way he now takes them in different positions at different spots. Full credit to him because that takes courage.

“You look back at the Villa game the other week when we had four or five in the first half and second half, it’s a bit cagey. I still think we can improve in the second half, it became a bit of a basketball match and that’s not our game. We could have been a bit more composed.

“But to win 3-0, get it over the line, now leads into another big one next week and we’re fully focused.”

Kai Havertz post-Bournemouth interview

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