Declan Rice didn’t mince words after Arsenal picked up their third red card of the Premier League season and suffered a potentially damaging 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday.
William Saliba was sent off in the 30th minute at the Vitality Stadium for hauling down Evanilson after a wayward pass from Leandro Trossard threatened to send the Bournemouth striker clean through on goal.
The French defender was initially shown a yellow card, but it was upgraded to red upon VAR review.
The Cherries took advantage of the extra man in the second half, as Ryan Christie and Justin Kluivert scored to condemn Mikel Arteta’s title-chasing team to its first defeat of the season.
Saliba’s dismissal comes after Rice was sent off earlier this season against Brighton & Hove Albion and Trossard was given marching orders against Manchester City. Arsenal have failed to win any of the three matches in which they played with 10 men, drawing each of the first two before Saturday’s loss.
“We’ve kicked ourselves in the foot three times in eight games, and we got away with it at home to Brighton and away at Manchester City. Bournemouth kept probing and made it 2-0,” Rice said after the game, according to Agence France-Presse. “I’m proud of the players for fighting, even with 10 men, but the naivety, we need to stop making mistakes because you want 11 players for 90 minutes, and that’s what wins you football matches.”
The midfielder said his team showed “a lot of character and personality” after going down to 10 men but must eliminate the early-season errors that could come back to haunt the Gunners in their quest for a first Premier League title since 2004.
“We can’t make silly mistakes. You need all your best players on the pitch at all times. The belief is so high, and we will stick together. This is football, whatever happens, the most important thing is that you stick together and stay in the right direction.”
Arsenal could fall four points behind league leaders Liverpool if the Reds win Sunday against Chelsea.
