Arsenal maintain unbeaten run with win over Bournemouth

• Arsenal defeated Bournemouth 4-0 at the Vitality Stadium as Mikel Arteta’s team got back to winning ways in the Premier League.
• Following first-half goals from Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz scored from the penalty spot.
• Ben White also scored late to round up the Gunners’ greatest top-flight performance of the year.

Arsenal defeated Bournemouth 4-0 at the Vitality Stadium as Mikel Arteta’s team got back to winning ways in the Premier League.

Following first-half goals from Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz scored from the penalty spot. Ben White also scored late to round up the Gunners’ greatest top-flight performance of the year.

Arteta cast doubt on the availability of Declan Rice, William Saliba, and all of Saka before the journey south owing to their different ailments, but the Spaniard’s pre-game remarks turned out to be nothing more than a bluff.

With just 17 minutes played, Saka broke through the Bournemouth defense when Odegaard delivered a lovely inswinging cross for Gabriel Jesus to meet. The Brazilian’s header from a narrow angle rebounded off the post and fell into Saka’s path, and the winger was able to score with a header of his own from a few yards out.

Odegaard and Havertz. Photo/Daily Cannon

Arsenal resisted the Cherries’ attempts to tie the score, while Max Aarons lost his cool in the 44th minute when he pummeled Eddie Nketiah in the penalty area for no apparent reason.

After a hesitant run-up, Captain Odegaard quietly stepped up to the line and calmly side-footed a penalty into the bottom corner, sending Neto the wrong way to increase Arsenal’s lead.

In the fifth minute of second-half injury time, the Raya was forced into action, diving low to block and hold Ryan Christie’s attempt across goal from within the box.

After giving away another penalty inexplicably in the 52nd minute by chopping down Odegaard, Christie channeled his inner Aarons, maybe still angry over squandering the chance at the very end of the first half.

Saka appeared to be ready to step up, but the Englishman handed the ball to Havertz instead. Havertz attempted the identical corner as Odegaard and came up with the same outcome, opening his account with Arsenal and snapping a 20-game goalless streak for the club.

Havertz celebrates after scoring. Photo/Just Arsenal

As the game entered its last 15 minutes, Saka, who had been involved in battles all afternoon, was forced to leave the field while being clapped for by his teammates and serenaded by the visiting Arsenal supporters.

Emile Smith Rowe almost scored a fourth goal for the visitors in the 90th minute, but Neto’s save stopped the Englishman. The Arsenal replacements, particularly Fabio Vieira, continued to terrorize the Bournemouth backline.

White, who had his back to the goal, jumped high to meet Odegaard’s inswinging free kick and nodded home into the top corner in injury time, giving Arteta’s team a chance to score again.

Arsenal will hold third position, one point behind Manchester City as a result of their defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers.