GUNNERS ACE FIRES FIRST GOAL
ARSENAL enjoyed a sunshine stroll on the South Coast to keep in touch with the pacesetters.
So easy was this trip for Mikel Arteta’s outfit, they even shared around the penalty duties – ensuring summer signing Kai Havertz finally opened his account for the club.
Main penalty man Bukayo Saka, having found the net with an early header, generously stood aside when the Gunners were awarded spot-kicks before and after the break.
Skipper Martin Odegaard tucked away the first and then, surprisingly, let Havertz take centre stage.
Ben White’s injury-time effort completed the rout over Bournemouth, who drop into bottom three – while the unbeaten Gunners move to within a point of Man City.
All Arteta’s big hitters were on show here, including Declan Rice.
And that was always too much for the Cherries, still searching for a first league win under Spanish boss Andoni Iraola.
The visitors hardly put the foot down in the early stages yet were ahead after 17 minutes.
Odegaard’s cross was headed at goal by Gabriel Jesus but as Neto went to save, the ball struck the post, wrongfooting the Cherries keeper – and Saka nodded into an empty net.
The main danger to Arsenal’s supremacy was themselves. Or rather complacency. The number of times they needlessly lost possession in the first half was ridiculous.
Arteta was fuming. Yet his mood improved courtesy of a 43rd-minute penalty, awarded for Max Aarons’ trip on Eddie Nketiah and scored by Odegaard.
And six minutes into the second period Ryan Christie’s late lunge on Odegaard resulted in Havertz’s big chance, which he took with ease.
And there was still time for White to make it four in the dying seconds. BOURNEMOUTH: Neto 6; Aarons 5, Zabarnyi 5, Senesi 6, Kerkez 5 (Semenyo (83) 6) Billing 5 (Rothwell (59) 6), Cook 6; Tavernier 5 (Sinisterra (59) 6), Christie 5 (Smith (83) 6), Kluivert 5 (Ouattara (59) 6), Solanke 5
Raya 7; White 7, Saliba, 7, Gabriel 8, Zinchenko 7 (Tomiyasu (69) 6), Odegaard 9, Rice 7 (Jorginho (81) 6), Havertz 7 (Smith Rowe (81) 6); Saka (Vieira (76) 6), Nketiah 6 (Nelson (69) 7) Jesus 7
Martin Odegaard – Arsenal’s inspirational skipper barely put a foot wrong.
Michael Salisbury 6