Kai Havertz netted his first goal for Arsenal at the 10th attempt as Mikel Arteta’s side returned to winning ways in the Premier League with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.
The £65m arrival from Chelsea converted from the penalty spot after Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard made the net bulge in the first half, while Ben White also got in on the act late on to cap off the Gunners’ best top-flight performance of the season so far.
Prior to the trip south, Arteta poured doubt on the availability of all of Saka, William Saliba and Declan Rice due to their various afflictions, but the Spaniard’s pre-game comments proved to be just smoke and mirrors.
All three made the first XI at the Vitality, and Saka breached the Bournemouth backline with just 17 minutes gone, as Odegaard sent in a delightful inswinging ball to the back stick for Gabriel Jesus to meet – the Brazilian’s header from a tight angle rebounded off the post and into the path of Saka, who could not miss with a header of his own from a couple of yards out.
Efforts from the Cherries to restore parity were met with stiff resistance from Arsenal, who kept their composure while Max Aarons lost his in the 44th minute, inexplicably scything Eddie Nketiah down inside the penalty area.
Captain Odegaard stepped up to the chalk, and following a stuttering run-up, the Norwegian calmly stroked home a side-footed penalty into the bottom corner, sending Neto the wrong way to double Arsenal’s advantage.
Neto’s opposite number David Raya was a spectator for most of the first half, but the Brentford loanee was called into action in the fifth minute of second-half injury time, getting down low to keep out – and hold – Ryan Christie’s shot across goal from inside the box.
Possibly still frustrated from missing that opportunity right at the death in the first half, Christie then channelled his inner Aarons by giving away another penalty in the 52nd minute, inexcusably chopping down Odegaard.
Saka would seemingly take on the responsibility, but the Englishman instead passed the ball over to Havertz, who went for the same corner as Odegaard and achieved the same result, opening his Arsenal account and ending a 20-game run without a goal at club level.
Havertz was immediately mobbed by his teammates while being serenaded by the travelling Arsenal fans, who were then subjected to the painful sight of Saka – who had been in the wars all afternoon – limping off the field heading into the final 15 minutes.
However, the Arsenal substitutes continued to terrorise the Bournemouth backline – Fabio Vieira in particular was a constant threat – and Emile Smith Rowe came close to adding a fourth for the visitors in the 90th minute, but the boot of Neto denied the Englishman.
Nevertheless, Arteta’s men would increase their tally in injury time through an unlikely source, as White leapt highest to meet Odegaard’s inswinging free kick and headed home into the top corner with his back to goal.
With Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur’s clash not finishing until after 7pm this evening, Arsenal will occupy second place – one point behind Manchester City owing to their loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers – for a couple of hours at least, while Andoni Iraola’s leaky Cherries have dropped below the dotted line into 18th.
Arsenal now prepare for a trip to Lens in the Champions League on Tuesday, while Bournemouth have a week to recover before next Saturday’s trip to Everton.
