Declan Rice produced a magnificent second-half performance, scoring twice to help Arsenal complete a stunning 3-2 comeback victory against a resilient Bournemouth side at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday.
Gabriel's Rollercoaster First Half
The match began in disastrous fashion for the league leaders. After just ten minutes, Gabriel Magalhaes made a costly error, his attempted cross-field pass intercepted by Bournemouth's Evanilson, who finished coolly past David Raya.
However, the Brazilian defender spectacularly atoned for his mistake only six minutes later. Following a slick move involving Noni Madueke and Piero Hincapie, the ball fell to Gabriel on the edge of the box, and he lashed a superb, slicing half-volley into the net to level the scores.
The remainder of the first period was fractious, with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta furious that Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo avoided a second yellow card for a foul on Rice. The Spaniard stormed down the tunnel at half-time.
Rice Takes Centre Stage
Arteta's half-time team talk had the desired effect. Nine minutes after the restart, Arsenal were ahead. After Viktor Gyokeres pressured the Bournemouth defence, the clearance fell to Martin Odegaard, who teed up Declan Rice. The England midfielder then unleashed a perfect first-time strike from the edge of the area that flew into the bottom corner.
Arsenal's superior squad depth then told, with substitutes Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard making an impact. It was Saka who created the crucial third goal, racing onto an Odegaard pass before squaring for an unmarked Rice to tap home with 71 minutes played.
Nervy Finish as Gunners Hold Firm
Just as Arsenal fans began to relax, Bournemouth's Eli Junior Kroupi reignited the contest with a moment of pure quality, firing a spectacular 25-yard strike past Raya to make it 3-2 with five minutes remaining.
Despite six minutes of added time and intense pressure, Arsenal's defence held firm to secure a fifth consecutive Premier League win. The victory moves Mikel Arteta's side six points clear of Aston Villa at the top of the table, piling the pressure on Manchester City, who play Chelsea on Sunday.
For Bournemouth, the defeat extends a miserable run to 11 matches without a win – their worst ever sequence in the top flight – leaving them just three points above the relegation zone. Their worries are compounded by the likely departure of top scorer Antoine Semenyo, who is reportedly close to joining title rivals Manchester City.
