With a 4-0 victory over struggling Bournemouth on Saturday, Arsenal continued their unbeaten start to the season. Kai Havertz scored the opening goal for the London club, while Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, and Ben White all scored.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, who have not given up on the road this year, moved up to second place in the standings with 17 points, one point behind league leaders Manchester City, who suffered a loss at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
With three points from seven games, Andoni Iraola’s winless Bournemouth team has slipped into the relegation zone and is currently in 18th place.
Arteta and Iraola are familiar with one another from their days as youth teammates for Antiguoko in the Basque Country, but in this one-sided match, it was the Arsenal manager who prevailed.
We knew the team was prepared to play because of how we approached the game since yesterday, according to Arteta.
“We faced a serious obstacle. No time is given to you by them. We successfully read the game and were entitled to victory.
Early on, Bournemouth showed promise as they pinned Arsenal back in their own half, but it was the visitors who broke through when Odegaard’s exquisite cross to the back post freed the defense in the 17th minute.
On the wing, Gabriel Jesus attempted to force his header into the back of the net from a tight angle, but the Brazilian’s attempt hit the post and fell to Saka, who headed into an open goal.
Just before halftime, Odegaard added to Arsenal’s advantage by converting from the penalty spot after Max Aarons fouled Eddie Nketiah. With a low attempt into the bottom corner, the Norwegian calmly sent Neto the wrong way.
Odegaard was upended by a reckless tackle from Ryan Christie six minutes after the break, which caused Bournemouth to scramble.
SCORES FOR HAVERTZ
However, the club’s main penalty takers Saka and Odegaard sent the ball to Havertz, who finished with finesse to relieve a significant amount of pressure from the shoulders of the 65 million-pound ($79.28 million) acquisition.
Being a part of a squad that exhibits the human values they do today makes me happier than the victory itself, said Arteta.
“Today they warmed me even more by demonstrating such sensitivity with a player who has some questions. I’m overjoyed with how our fans made him feel. He is the player who deserves that if there is one.
Deflated Bournemouth were in serious trouble, and despite twice stopping Emile Smith Rowe, Neto was powerless to stop White from completing the thrashing with a glanced header into the goal in extra time.
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