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How did the dark horse play a decisive role in the English Premier League race?
In a season that burned until the final moments, Bournemouth played a much bigger role than just a team competing for a European place, turning into one of the most influential teams in the English Premier League title race.
Bournemouth surprised everyone by beating Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, restoring hope to Manchester City and giving… Pep Guardiola’s battalion A new opportunity to return to the competition at the top.
But the irony is that Bournemouth themselves came back in the penultimate round against Manchester City, forcing them to a draw and handing the title back to Arsenal after a 22-year absence.
Between influencing the title race and clinging to the dream of European qualification until the final round, Bournemouth have written one of the most exciting stories of the English Premier League season.
A gift for Manchester City
When Arsenal lost 2-1 to Bournemouth at the Emirates Stadium last April, the race reignited between the Gunners and the Citizens, after seemingly paving the way for manager Mikel Arteta’s side.
Arsenal went into the game knowing that any slip-up could give Manchester City a chance to come back, but Bournemouth played with plenty of confidence and were able to capitalize on the home side’s nervousness to claim a historic win that restored doubts among Gunners fans after weeks of optimism.
The win not only gave Bournemouth a huge morale boost, but also brought life back to Manchester City, who were waiting for any gift to get them back on the field, which indeed happened after the competition had once again descended into open conflict until the final rounds.
Dramatic irony
After Bournemouth’s gift, Manchester City entered the confrontation with Arsenal with the motto “Last chance”, and the heavenly team managed to settle the confrontation (2-1), confirming that they will not give up the title easily and put strong pressure on the “gunners” in the fight for the lead.
The win restored confidence to Guardiola’s side, especially as the team had a game in hand and would have gone top of the Premier League on goal difference had they won, leading City fans to believe that the title was still within reach and that a return to the top flight was only a matter of time.
But the dramatic irony came in the penultimate round when City faced Bournemouth, a team that had previously brought them back into the title race, but Guardiola’s side settled for a late 1-1 draw, enough to hand Arsenal their first league title since 2004.
It should also be noted that “Manchester City” drew with “Everton” in the 35th round (3-3), which gave the kiss of life to “Arsenal”, leading by two points, but a draw with “Bournemouth” ended the hopes of “Manchester City” to snatch the title from the teeth of “The Gunners”.
Arsenal are writing a historic finish
Despite painful defeats to Bournemouth and then Manchester City in April, Arsenal managed to keep their balance until the end, taking advantage of Manchester City’s failure at a crucial moment to achieve the dream their fans had been waiting for for more than two decades.
The title this time was not a new championship added to the coffers of the London club, but the end of a long period of failures and collapses in the last meters. Arsenal fans, who have endured many seasons ending in disappointment, finally got a date with a long-awaited historic moment.
The crown also gave manager Mikel Arteta a special place at the club after he managed to build a squad that could withstand the pressure and go all the way with Manchester City before settling the dispute in one of the Premier League’s most exciting endings.
Bournemouth Dark Horse
Apart from the title race, Bournemouth have written one of the most famous stories of the season after succeeding in the senior league and forcing themselves among the teams fighting for Champions League qualification.
“Bournemouth” under the leadership of Andoni Iraola played the role of a dark horse this season. Not only did he thwart Arsenal and Manchester City, but he produced an exceptional season that saw them enter the finals still clinging to their European fortunes despite just three points behind fifth-placed Liverpool.
What Bournemouth have put in this season has proven that the team is no longer just a minor contender looking to survive, but rather a project capable of troubling the Premier League leaders and imposing themselves among clubs with greater ambitions in the coming years if they follow the same path after the end of Iraola’s tenure, who announced his departure at the end of the season.
Suffice it to say, Bournemouth are unbeaten in the English Premier League since their 3-2 loss to Arsenal last January, and have gone 17 games unbeaten to finish sixth.
