Alex Scott Shines As Bournemouth Beat Arsenal, With Iraola Praising A Complete Performance

Bournemouth claimed a 2-1 win at Emirates Stadium against Arsenal, with Alex Scott scoring the decisive goal. The result lifted Bournemouth’s hopes of securing European football next season. It also stretched Bournemouth’s unbeaten Premier League run to 12 matches, a new club record sequence in the competition.

The victory continued a striking shift in Bournemouth’s record away to Arsenal. Bournemouth have now won their last two Premier League visits to Emirates Stadium. Before this current run, Bournemouth had been beaten in all eight previous away games against Arsenal across all competitions.

Scott’s influence again proved crucial for Bournemouth in the Premier League. All four of Scott’s league goals for Bournemouth have come at different venues. The list includes Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Vitality Stadium, Molineux, and now Emirates Stadium, underlining Scott’s impact across varied away and home environments.

Scott has also developed a clear habit of scoring late in Premier League away matches for Bournemouth. All three of Scott’s league goals on the road have been scored in the 74th minute or later. That timing has repeatedly given Bournemouth a strong platform in tight contests, including this win at Arsenal.

Bournemouth’s defensive work matched Scott’s attacking contribution, with Arsenal restricted to 0.19 expected goals from open play. Arsenal have only recorded a lower open-play xG once in a home Premier League fixture on record. That came in the 2021-22 season, when Arsenal produced 0.17 against Crystal Palace in October 2025.

The club’s 12-game Premier League unbeaten sequence, consisting of five wins and seven draws, is their longest in the competition. Bournemouth also showed greater control at Emirates Stadium than in many earlier visits. The team managed pressure phases, limited clear chances, and maintained structure during long spells without the ball.

Scott had been left out of Thomas Tuchel’s England squad last month. Andoni Iraola felt the level shown against Arsenal reflected Scott’s long-term progress, rather than a single isolated performance. Iraola highlighted the work that Scott has done over many months to reach this standard for Bournemouth.

Alex [Scott] has been like this for many months, the Cherries boss told BBC Sport. He was amazing. He’s in such good form. I’m so happy for him. He’s worked a lot to be at this level.

Iraola also praised Bournemouth’s collective display at Emirates Stadium. "We showed great personality to play in a big game and a big stadium. We’ve been at the level of the game. I’m very happy for the players," added Iraola. Defensively, apart from the penalty, Bournemouth handled Arsenal’s set-piece deliveries with composure.

"Defensively, apart from the penalty, we defended those [set-piece] situations. We were quite brave. A complete performance. It’s a matter of growing into the game. We had very good spells on the ball. We were finding good gaps in the middle."

The match at Emirates Stadium underlined Bournemouth’s growing consistency in the Premier League and Scott’s growing importance. The new unbeaten record, improved away form at Arsenal, and disciplined defensive metrics combined to strengthen Bournemouth’s case for European qualification, while also reinforcing Iraola’s trust in this squad’s development.