Bournemouth 0-4 Arsenal
by Layth Yousif
at Dean Court

KAI HAVERTZ scored his first competitive goal for Arsenal during their emphatic victory over Bournemouth on Saturday.

The former Chelsea player was handed second half spot-kick duties after captain Martin Odegaard was felled in the box by Ryan Christie. 

Up stepped the talented £65 million midfielder who duly sent the Cherries’ experienced former Juventus keeper Neto the wrong way for his first goal in 10 matches — and his first in 21 games stretching back to his time at Stamford Bridge last term, to make the scoreline 3-0. Cue delighted Gunners teammates and the relentlessly vociferous travelling support celebrating in union.

The goal underlined a dominant performance from Mikel Arteta’s side, that had gone into the half time interval already 2-0 up, following Bukayo Saka’s opening goal, prior to Odegaard scoring from the spot. As the clock ticked down late in the second half there was still time for Ben White’s header to make it 4-0.

Quite simply, the visitors dominated from the opening whistle to the last moments, starting when Havertz’s early shot flew narrowly wide and into the side netting, after being diverted by Cherries’ Illia Zabarnyi. While at the back William Saliba was simply majestic, using his searing pace to cut out the threat of Dominic Solanke in one memorable moment. 

The pressure eventually told, as Saka, playing his 87th consecutive league match, put the Gunners ahead on 17 minutes, nodding home from close range after following up Gabriel Jesus’s header that hit the post. The goal also had the added benefit of mercifully silencing the bizarre preponderance of vacuously noisy and irritating drums sited at various points among the home support.

On 24 minutes Oleksandr Zinchenko drew a save from Bournemouth keeper Neto, as the north Londoners emphasised tear superiority.

The dominance was confirmed moments before the interval, when Eddie Nketiah was scythed down in the box by Max Aarons, following a driving run, that led to referee Michael Salisbury pointing to the spot, without the need for resorting to VAR. 

Gunners captain Odegaard stepped up to calmly slot home, sending Cherries keeper Neto the wrong way to seal the north Londoners’ first penalty of a successful afternoon on the sunny south coast to make it 2-0. With the prospect of Havertz and White’s goals to follow after the interval to make it four. 

Next stop is a Champions League date in northern France against Lens for Arteta’s ever-improving side.

While winless Cherries boss Andoni Iraola — a Basque childhood footballing pal of Arteta — must console himself with the fact that his side will not face such a top-quality side every week. 

No wonder the Cherries boss admitted after his side failed to add to their only goal scored at home this season, against West Ham in early August: “It’s the weakest game we’ve played this season. We were facing a really good [side] two penalties is too much against this team.”