Arsenal leads Premier League despite Bournemouth loss as Martinelli criticized

Arsenal suffered a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth in Premier League action on Saturday, April 11, 2026. Despite the setback, Arsenal maintains its position at the top of the Premier League table, ahead of second-placed Manchester City.

Former Arsenal striker Jay Bothroyd criticized manager Mikel Arteta's selection, suggesting Gabriel Martinelli should be dropped for Max Dowman. 'He has not been good enough this year,' Bothroyd told Sky Sports after the match. 'As far as I'm concerned, Max Dowman needs to start. I don't care anymore.'

Martinelli made an assist during the week but failed to lead Arsenal to victory when given the starting role against Bournemouth. With Arsenal still in title contention, Arteta faces questions about his attacking lineup options as the season progresses. Should Arteta continue starting Martinelli based on his overall season performance, or give Dowman more consistent playing time to potentially unlock different attacking options?

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/04/11/epl-hes-not-good-enough-arteta-told-to-drop-martinelli/