Midfielder Scott produced a cool finish after a neat build-up in the 74th minute to stun the nervous-looking hosts and provide a huge boost for chasing Manchester City.

Defeat left a labouring Arsenal still with a seemingly commanding nine-point lead over City, but Pep Guardiola's side has played two games fewer and can close the gap if it beats Chelsea on Monday (AEST).

Arsenal's first defeat in nine league games means it has 70 points from 32 games to City's 61 from 30. City also has the incentive of hosting Arsenal next weekend.

Bournemouth was the better side in the first half and took the lead when Eli Junior Kroupi turned in a deflected cross at the far post in the 17th minute.

Kroupi has now scored 10 times in the top flight this season – the first teenager to reach that mark in his debut campaign in the Premier League since Robbie Keane for Coventry City in the 1999-2000 season.

Arsenal's response was lacklustre and it looked bereft of attacking spark as the home crowd grew frustrated.

Mikel Arteta's side got a helping hand when Bournemouth's Ryan Christie was adjudged to have blocked a ball into the area with his arm, allowing Viktor Gyokeres to equalise from the spot in the 35th minute.

Arsenal huffed and puffed looking for a winner but it was Bournemouth that provided the twist as it moved into ninth place and in contention for a European qualifying spot.

Arsenal began the game on a four-match winning run in the Premier League and had it made it five to move 12 points ahead of City it would have surely been on the cusp of a first English title since 2004.

It had not been in league action for almost a month and in that time suffered a Carabao Cup final defeat by City and a shock FA Cup quarter-final exit at the hands of second-tier Southampton.

A steadying 1-0 victory against Sporting in the midweek UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg should have paved the way for a commanding display against Bournemouth.

But the Gunners misfired, and can have no complaints against an agile side that played on Arsenal's nerves with a clever brand of football.

Arteta described the defeat as "a big punch in the face".

"It's disappointing. It's a big punch in the face, and it's about how we react now. They [Bournemouth] are a team who haven't lost for 11 games for a reason, they did a lot right," he said.

"We were far from efficient. The first chance they had to attack the box, it's a deflection, a bad defensive action and it's a goal. That's something we have to recover from.

"In the second half, you expect a different game. We did a lot of strange things today. We have been very consistent. This can happen; this is football."

Arsenal faces Sporting CP in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie on Thursday (AEST), with that huge trip to Manchester coming four days later.

Despite the pressure ramping up on his team, Arteta is adamant everyone at the club would have taken this position at the start of the season.

Asked how much the defeat hurt, the Gunners boss added: "A lot. It has to hurt. The players have to take it on the chin. 

"You stand up and go for the fight, or you're out. It's a big week, with a lot at stake. We're still in a good position in both competitions.

"It's painful. It's a terrible feeling, but tomorrow is a different day and if we said to people in August this would be our position in April, we would all take it."