Premier League: Arsenal Extend Lead with Convincing WinPremier League: Arsenal Extend Lead with Convincing Win Arsenal strengthened their grip on the Premier League title race on Saturday with a resounding 3-1 victory over relegation-threatened Bournemouth at Vitality Stadium. Mikel Arteta’s side took the lead after just 11 minutes when William Saliba’s long ball found Martin Ødegaard, who slotted home with aplomb. Arsenal doubled their advantage in the 27th minute when Gabriel Martinelli fired a low shot into the bottom corner of the net. Bournemouth threatened briefly in the first half, but their hopes of a comeback were extinguished in the 54th minute when Bukayo Saka scored Arsenal’s third goal with a deft finish from close range. The Cherries pulled one back through Philip Billing in the 62nd minute, but it was too little too late as Arsenal held on comfortably to secure their 10th win in their last 11 Premier League outings. The result extended Arsenal’s lead at the summit to five points over Manchester City, who play Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday. It also marked the first time that Arsenal have won three consecutive Premier League away games since September 2018. Arteta hailed his team’s performance, particularly their clinical finishing. “We were really good in the first half,” he said. “We created chances and scored our goals. In the second half, we had a little bit of a dip, but we controlled the game.” Bournemouth manager Gary O’Neil admitted that Arsenal were simply too strong on the day. “They’re a fantastic team,” he said. “They have so much quality and they’re very difficult to play against.” The win will give Arsenal a major boost in their quest for a first Premier League title since 2004. They will be back in action on Wednesday when they host Manchester City in a highly anticipated top-of-the-table clash at the Emirates Stadium.
