Arsenal 3-0 Bournemouth: Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard and Declan Rice help put pressure back on Man City
Arsenal reopened a four-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table with 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, maintains their title charge and puts the pressure back on Manchester City as they host Wolves, live on Sky Sports, in the 5.30pm kick-off.
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 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
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