MIKEL ARTETA enjoyed a relaxing day by the seaside as his Arsenal team strolled to victory at Bournemouth.
First-half goals from Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard were more than enough to maintain the Gunners’ unbeaten start to the season.
In fact it was so easy that even Kai Havertz broke his duck after an incredible act of generosity from his team-mates.
Yet they barely had to break into a sweat to see off the tame Cherries, who have now failed to win a Premier League game in five months.
Arteta might have been a boyhood team-mate of Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola but there was no old pals act for his Basque buddy at the Vitality.
It took Arsenal just 17 minutes to take control of this match when Saka was able to nod in from a yard out after Gabriel Jesus’ header had come back off the far post.
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And captain Odegaard put the game beyond doubt just before half-time when he sent Neto the wrong way from the penalty spot after Eddie Nketiah had been taken out by Max Aarons.
Bournemouth were in full self-destruct mode by now and presented the visitors with another spot-kick shortly after the break when Ryan Christie inexplicably ploughed right through the back of Odegaard.
Saka stepped up to take the ball but then presented it to Havertz, who has been struggling to win over the Arsenal fans since his £65million mive from Chelsea in the summer.
The German international might have been low on confidence after his stuttering start to life in north London, but there was nothing hesitant about his finish as he coolly sent Neto the wrong way before being mobbed by his jubilant team-mates,
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And they were not finished there, with Ben White heading home from Odegaard’s stoppage time free-kick to complete Bournemouth’s humiliation.
It was all too easy for the Premier League’s away day specialists who won more points on their travels than any other team last season and have taken maximum points from their three games on the road so far this time.
But it is already starting to look grim for Bournemouth and the ease with which they were brushed aside does not bode well for Iraola’s long-term prospects.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
