The China Mail - Arsenal suffer huge title blow as Liverpool earn vital win

The Gunners could have opened up a 12-point lead at the top of the table, but a third straight domestic defeat for Mikel Arteta's men has put the destiny of the title back in Manchester City's hands.

City have two games in hand on the long-time leaders, starting with Sunday's trip to Chelsea, and host Arsenal next weekend in a potential title decider.

Just a few weeks ago the Gunners were dreaming of an unprecedented quadruple but they lost to City in the League Cup final and were dumped out of the FA Cup by second-tier Southampton.

A wobble in the Premier League, which they have not won since 2004, raises major doubts about their staying power, with six matches to go.

After suffering just three defeats in their opening 49 matches of the season in all competitions, they have lost three of their past four, ramping up the tension.

"It's a big punch in the face, that's what I said to the boys, and now it's about how we react to that," said a downbeat Arteta, whose team remain favourites for the title.

The Spaniard, whose side have finished as runners-up three times in a row, admitted Arsenal's long title drought was playing on their minds.

"We know what is at stake and the fact that as a club we haven't done it for so long is a reason for that," said the Spaniard.

Junior Kroupi reacted quickest to Adrien Truffert's deflected cross to give mid-table Bournemouth an early lead, silencing a nervy crowd at the Emirates.

Viktor Gyokeres levelled before the break from the penalty spot, but a lack of creative spark in the final third was again the home side's undoing.

Arsenal's fine defensive record has underpinned their title charge but they were cut open with ease when Alex Scott finished off a fine team move for the winner in the 74th minute.

- Liverpool win -

Five English sides will qualify for next season's Champions League and fifth-placed Liverpool strengthened their case with a 2-0 home win against Fulham, easing the heat on manager Arne Slot.

Teenager Rio Ngumoha scored his first goal at Anfield in the early evening match to put the Reds ahead, whipping his shot around the diving Bernd Leno after a jinking run.

The recalled Mohamed Salah, departing at the end of the season, doubled Liverpool's lead shortly before half-time with a sublime, arrowed finish.

It is a desperately welcome three points for Liverpool and the beleaguered Slot, whose team had won just two of their previous eight games in all competitions.

Heavy defeats by Manchester City in the FA Cup and Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League have piled the pressure on the Dutch boss a year after he led the club to Premier League glory.

Brentford and Everton missed the chance to move level on points with Liverpool earlier in the day, drawing 2-2.

Brentford's Igor Thiago scored twice, taking his tally for the season to 21 Premier League goals, within one of Erling Haaland in the race for the Golden Boot.

Brighton are also in the mix for their first-ever taste of Champions League football after Mats Wieffer scored twice in a 2-0 win at relegation-bound Burnley.

A.Zhang--ThChM