Arsenal reopened a four-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table with a 3-0 win over Bournemouth at the Emirates Stadium.
2023/2024 Premier League
3-0
Match Report
Arsenal fell behind after only nine seconds when Bournemouth visited the Emirates Stadium last season but they looked comfortable from the start this time around, creating a succession of early chances which required last-ditch blocks from the visitors.
Kai Havertz, William Saliba and Saka had all gone close before Takehiro Tomiyasu had his header cleared off the line and there was an even better chance for Rice, who fired a low shot wastefully past the post from Havertz's knockdown at the far post.
Bournemouth's resistance was finally broken when the excellent Martin Odegaard played in Havertz, who drew contact from goalkeeper Mark Travers before going to ground, the penalty call surviving a lengthy VAR check before Saka stepped up to convert.
The goal ensures Saka the first Arsenal player since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to reach 20 goals in all competitions for the club in a single season and Trossard is not far behind him on 16 thanks to his clinical first-time finish, from Rice's clever pass, in the 70th minute.
Arsenal had been forced onto the back foot before that and they survived a scare immediately afterwards, when Antoine Semenyo's goal, after Ryan Christie's effort had come back off the bar, was ruled out following another long VAR check.
The referee's decision to penalise Solanke for a foul on Raya was upheld despite the contact being slight, with Bournemouth's appeals for a penalty for a Gabriel Magalhaes pull on substitute Philip Billing in the same passage of play turned away.
Arsenal had more chances to extend their lead, with Odegaard firing into the side-netting and Havertz clipping the bar, but Rice eventually got the third, finishing well from an angle from Gabriel Jesus's pass to add a goal to his earlier assist in a player-of-the-match display which delighted the home fans.
Declan Rice is best known for his defensive qualities but the 25-year-old's performances this season might require a reassessment. He has become a lethal attacker under Mikel Arteta.
He provided the assist for Leandro Trossard's crucial second goal, flicking the ball to him instinctively with the outside of his boot, then added the third himself with a cool finish on the angle.
Thomas Partey's introduction at the base of midfield has helped, giving him freedom to bomb forward from the No 8 position, but Rice's increased attacking threat has been apparent all season.
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
6' Ødegaard's shot stopped by Smith
9' Trossard's shot stopped by defender
10' Ryan Christie’s foul on Saka overlook by ref
14' CLOSE! Goalkeeper denies Havertzs effort
17' Saliba’s powerful strike stopped by Goalkeeper
18' Saka's shot saved by goalkeeper
21' Yellow Card! Alex Scott booked
23' Partey’s shot flies into the sky
25' Partey's shot saved by goalkeeper
37' CLOSE! Rice’s shot wide out
45' Penalty Goal! Arsenal 1-0 Bournemouth (Saka)
48' Saka's shot too straight!
50' Havertz's shot stopped by goalkeeper
59' Yellow Card! Partey booked
60' Yellow Card! Havertz booked
70' GOAL! Arsenal 2-0 Bournemouth (Trossard)
84' Yellow Card! Smith booked
95' Yellow Card! Ryan Christie booked
Line-ups
Arsenal XI: Trossard, Partey, David Raya, Martin Ødegaard, Rice, Tomiyasu, Gabriel, Havertz, Ben White, William Saliba, Saka
Subs: Jorginho, Zinchenko, Jesus, Ramsdale, Smith Rowe, Nketiah, Martinelli, Jakub Kiwior, Fábio Vieira
Bournemouth XI: Smith, Ryan Christie, Solanke, Lewis Cook, Travers, Kluivert, Marcos Senesi, Antoine Semenyo, Ilya Zabarnyi, Alex Scott, Dango Ouattara
Subs: Neto, E.Ünal, Billing, Aarons, Romain Faivre, James Hill, Dominic Sadi, Maxwell Kinsey-Wellings, Callan McKenna