Havertz bags first Gunners goal in Bournemouth stroll
FOLLOW THE LEADER: Arsenal’s Kai Havertz celebrates. Pic: Robbie Stephenson/PA Wire
KAI HAVERTZ scored his first goal for Arsenal as Mikel Arteta's side closed in at the top of the Premier League table with their fourth consecutive away win of the season.
The Spanish manager's side are yet to concede a goal on the road either, not that winless Bournemouth threatened much.
The match was as good as over after first half goals from Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard, but it was a second half effort from the much criticised €70million summer signing from Chelsea that Arsenal fans celebrated most.
The match started with a genuine warm embrace between the two managers, Arteta and Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola, as they both played together for the same local youth team in northern Spain.
The opening stages of the match were relatively friendly too. Arsenal were on top but not forcing matters and Bournemouth's pace on the break was of little threat either.
That said, it took William Saliba's perfectly timed sliding tackle to prevent Dominic Solanke from converting Bournemouth's first clear-cut chance of the match.
Saka headed Arsenal into a 17th-minute lead soon after. Odegaard drifted a cross beyond the far post where Gabriel Jesus headed the ball back in against the woodwork and Saka nodded in the rebound from very close range.
Arsenal took control now. Illia Zabarnyi conceded a corner to prevent another easy goal chance for Arsenal and Oleksandr Zinchenko had a stinging shot superbly saved by Neto.
The match got scrappy from then on. Havertz was booked for a foul on Philip Billing. Referee Michael Salisbury inexplicably allowed a nastier revenge tackle by Billing pass unpunished soon after. Iraola's players then seemed to have a rota for fouling Jesus every time he tried to break down the left wing.
A further foul by Max Aarons, on Eddie Nketiah, resulted in a 44th minute penalty being awarded to Arsenal. Odegaard sent Neto the wrong way from the spot. Game over.
Bournemouth offered little to suggest they could get back into the match and allowed Arsenal to pile forward in pursuit of a likely third.
It came in the 53rd minute from another blatant penalty. Ryan Christie swept Odegaard‘s legs away and then had the gall to protest his innocence. Odegaard handed the duties to Saka initially, but a quick team talk resulted in Havertz stepping up to take it.
Rarely has a shot been so loudly anticipated by Arsenal supporters as the Bournemouth crowd did their best to put the German off. He kept his cool to stagger his run to the ball, send Neto diving to his left and rolled the ball into the opposite side of the net.
Rarely has a relatively meaningless goal been so well celebrated either. Every member of the Arsenal side ran to their relatively new team-mate and pointed to him as the fans sang their new chant for him over and over again. The ironic gist of it was '60 million down the drain, Kai Havertz has scored again!'
Defender Ben White headed in from a free kick deep in to time added on to make the winning margin no more than Arsenal deserved.
Neto 5, Kerkez 5 (Semenyo. 83), Senesi 6, Zabaryni 5, Aarons 5, Billing 6 (Rothwell 75), Cook 5, Kluivert 5 (Ouattara 59), Christie 5 (Smith 83), Tavernier 5 (Sinisterra 59), Solanke 6. Subs: Radu, Brooks, Moore, Traore.
Raya 6, White 6, Saliba 6, Gabriel 7, Zinchenko 6 (Tomiyasu 69), Odegaard 8, Rice 6 (Jorginho 81), Havertz 6 (Smith Rowe 81), Saka 8 (Vieira 76), Nketiah 6 (Nelson 69), Jesus 6. Subs: Ramsdale, Kiwior, Trossard, Elneny.
Michael Salisbury 5
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