The match began poorly for the Gunners, who conceded a goal within the first 15 minutes as Alexander Isak headed in a precise cross from Anthony Gordon.
Throughout the first half, Arsenal struggled to establish their game but came close to equalizing when a close-range shot from Mikel Merino was cleared off the line by Lewis Hall.
In the second half, manager Mikel Arteta made several substitutions, bringing on Ethan Nwaneri, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Gabriel Jesus, but these changes had minimal effect. Aside from a late opportunity for Declan Rice, Arsenal failed to generate significant scoring chances. Below are the player ratings from football.london:
– **David Raya:** Commanded his area effectively and dealt with several crosses; had little chance on the goal. **Rating: 6**
– **Thomas Partey:** Struggled at right-back after a solid showing against Liverpool; his poor header led to the goal. Improved in midfield but it was too late. **Rating: 5**
– **William Saliba:** Faced a challenging match against Isak, Joelinton, and Willock; solid with the ball but defensively not at his best. **Rating: 5**
– **Gabriel:** Important for Arsenal’s defense, though unable to stop the goal. **Rating: 5**
– **Jurrien Timber:** Had little chance to prevent the goal from Gordon’s cross; defended well and participated in possession. **Rating: 6**
– **Declan Rice:** Set-piece delivery was below expectations; performed better in a more advanced role but missed a late chance. **Rating: 6**
– **Mikel Merino:** Came close to scoring with a shot that was cleared but had a quiet match aside from set pieces; received a yellow card. **Rating: 5**
– **Bukayo Saka:** Had a subdued game with few impactful moments in the first half. **Rating: 6**
– **Gabriel Martinelli:** Struggled to take on defenders and offered little offensive threat. **Rating: 5**
– **Leandro Trossard:** Had a disappointing performance with ineffective dribbling and passing. **Rating: 5**
– **Kai Havertz:** Lacked impact, failing to win challenges and rarely controlling the ball; provided one decent cross for Saka. **Rating: 5**
**Substitutes:**
– **Oleksandr Zinchenko:** Failed to provide security in possession and was wasteful. **Rating: 5**
– **Ethan Nwaneri:** Brought energy to the attack but created few chances, with only one notable shot on goal. **Rating: 6**
