Arsenal vs Bournemouth. Premier League.
Emirates StadiumAttendance60,348.
Report as Bukayo Saka's penalty, a Leandro Trossard strike and Declan Rice's late goal give Arsenal a 3-0 win over Bournemouth; Gunners go four points clear of title rivals Man City, who face Wolves live on Sky Sports in Saturday's 5.30pm kick-off
Sunday 5 May 2024 07:16, UK
Arsenal remained top of the Premier League table thanks to a 3-0 win over Bournemouth at the Emirates Stadium.
Bukayo Saka put the Gunners ahead from the penalty spot in a one-sided first half before Leandro Trossard swept home their second following a spell of Bournemouth pressure after the break.
The visitors had a goal controversially ruled out after that, with VAR upholding referee David Coote's decision to penalise Dominic Solanke for a foul on David Raya, before Declan Rice added a stoppage-time third to put the result beyond doubt.
The victory, Arsenal's fourth in a row, kept the Gunners just a point ahead of Manchester City, albeit having played a game more than the champions.
Arsenal fell behind after only nine seconds when Bournemouth visited the Emirates Stadium last season but they looked comfortable from the start this time around, creating a succession of early chances which required last-ditch blocks from the visitors.
Kai Havertz, William Saliba and Saka had all gone close before Takehiro Tomiyasu had his header cleared off the line and there was an even better chance for Rice, who fired a low shot wastefully past the post from Havertz's knockdown at the far post.
Bournemouth's resistance was finally broken when the excellent Martin Odegaard played in Havertz, who drew contact from goalkeeper Mark Travers before going to ground, the penalty call surviving a lengthy VAR check before Saka stepped up to convert.
The goal ensures Saka is the first Arsenal player since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to reach 20 goals in all competitions for the club in a single season and Trossard is not far behind him on 16 thanks to his clinical first-time finish, from Rice's clever pass, in the 70th minute.
Arsenal had been forced onto the back foot before that and they survived a scare immediately afterwards, when Antoine Semenyo's goal, after Ryan Christie's effort had come back off the bar, was ruled out following another long VAR check.
The referee's decision to penalise Solanke for a foul on Raya was upheld despite the contact being slight, with Bournemouth's appeals for a penalty for a Gabriel Magalhaes pull on substitute Philip Billing in the same passage of play turned away.
Arsenal had more chances to extend their lead, with Odegaard firing into the side-netting and Havertz clipping the bar, but Rice eventually got the third, finishing well from an angle from Gabriel Jesus's pass to add a goal to his earlier assist in a player-of-the-match display which delighted the home fans.
Declan Rice is best known for his defensive qualities but the 25-year-old's performances this season might require a reassessment. He has become a lethal attacker under Mikel Arteta.
He provided the assist for Leandro Trossard's crucial second goal, flicking the ball to him instinctively with the outside of his boot, then added the third himself with a cool finish on the angle.
Rice now has seven goals and eight assists in the Premier League this season, the fourth-highest combined total of any Arsenal player and more than twice as many as he has ever previously managed.
Thomas Partey's introduction at the base of midfield has helped, giving him freedom to bomb forward from the No 8 position, but Rice's increased attacking threat has been apparent all season.
This was just another example.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta in his press conference:
"I thought it was probably the best first half we have played all season. We were unbelievable, everything flowing, super composed on the ball, really aggressive without the ball.
"We generated so many chances, we could have gone three, four, five [up] easily and we didn't. We scored one.
"Credit to Bournemouth, they changed a few things and created some issues. The game became a little bit more open, something we wanted to avoid.
"Within that game, we resolved certain situations in the right way and we were very efficient in front of goal to score the goals and maintain another clean sheet."
On Bournemouth's disallowed goal and the late Ryan Christie tackle on Bukayo Saka in the first half which went unpunished: "The honest answer is I haven't seen any of the incidents because I knew you were going to ask me.
"I did it on purpose. The analysts said do you want to watch it and I said no because then I can tell the truth!
"I haven't seen them so I cannot comment or have an impression. The one on David [Raya], the foul [for the disallowed goal], I cannot see because it's too far. The one on Bukayo, is it on purpose or not? I don't know so difficult for me to judge."
On whether he will watch Man City's game against Wolves: "Yeah I will be there sitting with my kids and my family."
On whether he will be wearing a Wolves shirt: "No, pyjamas. Comfy pyjamas."
Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola in his press conference:
"First of all, I think I would like to say that I think Arsenal deserved to win today.
"I think they were better than us, especially first half. I think they pushed us a lot, but I don't think the game should have gone the way it has gone because the referee decisions, I don't agree with the decisions.
"I don't agree with the penalty one, but especially with the disallowed goal.
"But I want to repeat - I think they were better than us and I think they should have won the game."
On VAR, he added: "I think we have to rethink it a little bit, if we lose five or six minutes checking every angle.
"Probably the thing is you cannot give a foul or it's a very clear penalty (on Philip Billing).
"If you give this foul, it's a much clearer penalty one metre in front of him. But probably, it's not clear and obvious because there is contact.
"(Either) we give power to the VAR or we don't lose the five, six minutes to check everything. I think we have to go one way or the other."
Arsenal continue their title bid at Manchester United on Sunday May 12, live on Sky Sports. Kick-off 4.30pm. They end the season at home to Everton on Sunday May 19, kick-off 4pm.
Bournemouth host Brentford in their last home game of the season on Saturday May 11, kick-off 3pm. The Cherries finish the season at Chelsea on May 19, kick-off 4pm.
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