Player scores as Reiss Nelson wins it in stoppage time

Arsenal recovered from a two-goal deficit to defeat Bournemouth 3-2 on Saturday afternoon, as Reiss Nelson’s 97th-minute winner restored the Gunners’ five-point lead on the Premier League summit.

Bournemouth supervisor Gary O’Neil earnestly described the Emirates Stadium as “the hardest place to go” and “the most important take a look at you may face” earlier than the match. Yet, his facet made a mockery of that lofty billing inside ten seconds of the opening whistle.

In a transfer that had the fluency of a pre-planned routine, Dominic Solanke rolled the kick-off again for Joe Rothwell to brush huge. Dango Ouattara drove at Oleksandr Zinchenko and smuggled a low cross into the field. The supply evaded Solanke however Arsenal’s centre-back pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba was equally befuddled, watching the ball trickle via for Philip Billing to faucet in a breathless opener.

With the second-earliest lead in Premier League historical past to take a seat on, Bournemouth may retreat right into a compact 5-4-1 and break from this huddled rearguard. From simply 14% possession within the first half – 35 correct passes – the Cherries spurned three breakaway alternatives as Arsenal tossed pink shirts ahead in quest of an equaliser, enjoying with even better urgency that had a whiff of desperation after Manchester City diminished their benefit to 2 factors on the Premier League summit earlier within the day.

From Bournemouth’s first nook of the match, Marcos Senesi peeled away from Thomas Partey’s laid-back method to man-marking, having fun with a free run onto Rothwell’s nook which he nodded previous a helpless Aaron Ramsdale.

Arsenal did not have lengthy to lament a second sloppy concession as Partey made up for his personal error from a Gunners nook. Emile Smith Rowe nodded Neto’s weak punch again into the six-yard field. While Ben White complained of a foul, Partey snuck in on the again put up to volley in from shut vary.

Mikel Arteta turned to White at half-time so as to add a sixth physique to Arsenal’s assault that contained extra subtlety and craft than Takehiro Tomiyasu. But the full-back introduced a objective on high of his guile, firing Reiss Nelson’s cross in direction of the online which Neto pawed away however not earlier than it crossed the road.

On both facet of a six-minute second-half burst, Arsenal had been completely pissed off by Bournemouth’s disciplined defensive resolve, diminished to speculative efforts from vary that did not hassle Neto. That is, till the ball fell onto Nelson’s weaker foot.

As the clock ticked into the eighth minute of stoppage time, Arsenal’s seventeenth nook of a gruelling contest dropped to Nelson on the sting of the field. Taking a contact to regular himself, the second-half substitute let rip, swinging his left boot via the ball because it flew into to the highest nook, sending the Emirates into ecstasy and Arsenal again into the ascendency of this title race. For now no less than.

GK: Aaron Ramsdale – 7/10 – The former Bournemouth man had the primary contact of the sport for any Arsenal participant, choosing the ball out of the online. Kept his present employers within the contest with an awesome smothering cease.

RB: Takehiro Tomiyasu – 3/10 – Hooked at half-time after a show devoid of the requisite delicate touches.

CB: William Saliba – 5/10 – Still mentally within the dressing room for the opening objective however swiftly recovered his composure to dominate somewhat too late.

CB: Gabriel – 6/10 – Either the Brazilian or Saliba mopped up the vast majority of Bournemouth’s breakaways earlier than they reached the field.

LB: Oleksandr Zinchenko – 5/10 – Arsenal had a lot possession Zinchenko spent the overwhelming majority of his time attempting to choose a lock from central midfield.

CM: Martin Odegaard – 5/10 – Floating round determined to seek out what little area existed between the visiting black shirts.

CM: Thomas Partey – 5/10 – Endured and loved a blended show the place each obtrusive error was countered by an important contribution.

CM: Fabio Vieira – 3/10 – On his first Premier League begin since September, Vieira flitted in and primarily out of the competition.

RW: Bukayo Saka – 6/10 – So typically the primary choice as Arsenal constructed an assault however was invariably confronted with a gaggle of defenders.

ST: Leandro Trossard – N/A – Forced off injured inside a frantic opening quarter of the competition.

LW: Gabriel Martinelli – 4/10 – Shifted centrally following Trossard’s untimely departure, Martinelli received misplaced within the scrum of our bodies.

Substitutes

Emile Smith Rowe (22′ for Trossard) – 4/10 – Skirted across the fringes of proceedings as he nonetheless appears to be like a way in need of full health.

Ben White (46′ for Tomiyasu) – 8/10 – Emphatically supplied the impression Arteta hoped for.

Reiss Nelson (69′ for Smith Rowe) – 8/10 – Added the drive that Arsenal had been missing.

Granti Xhaka (84′ for Vieira) – N/A

Manager

Mikel Arteta – 5/10 – The legislation of chance means that no less than considered one of Arsenal’s long-range efforts would finally repay however Arteta can depend on this method going ahead.

GK: Neto – 4/10 – Not solely convincing when competing for crosses.

RWB: Adam Smith – 6/10 – Scarcely ventured over the midway line however was disciplined when camped in his personal defensive third.

CB: Chris Mepham – 5/10 – Very lucky to get away with letting a free ball drop on his outstretched arm in Bournemouth’s field.

CB: Jack Stephens – 7/10 – Tossed his appreciable body in entrance of the ball on numerous events.

CB: Marco Senesi – 6/10 – Not precisely composed in possession however wasted little time clearing the hazard when it emerged.

LWB: Jordan Zemura – 7/10 – Stuck to an exhausting activity of shackling Saka in addition to might be anticipated.

RM: Dango Ouattara – 6/10 – Brilliantly direct for the opening objective however ought to actually have doubled Bournemouth’s lead himself.

CM: Joe Rothwell – 4/10 – Sitting in entrance of his again 5, Rothwell supplied treasured little in the way in which of resistance.

CM: Philip Billing – 8/10 – Took a literal interpretation of a box-to-box function, essential for the guests at each ends.

LM: Antoine Semenyo – 5/10 – Bournemouth favoured the alternative flank on their sporadic surges ahead.

ST: Dominic Solanke – 5/10 – Failed to capitalise on the ample possibilities Bournemouth had on the break.

Substitutes

Jaidon Anthony (64′ for Semenyo) – 5/10

Ryan Fredericks (64′ for Zemura) – 5/10

Lewis Cook (71′ for Rothwell) – N/A

Ryan Christie (82′ for Ouattara) – N/A

Manager

Gary O’Neil – 6/10 – Cruelly denied what would have been a well-deserved level.

Player of the Match – Reiss Nelson (Arsenal)