FA PREMIER LEAGUE 

ARSENAL 3 (Saka pen, 45, Trossard 70, Rice 97)

BOURNEMOUTH 0

ARSENAL deserve to win the league and if there is any justice in this world City will slip up – preferably in the second half against West Ham on the last day of the season.

That’s the dream that refuses to die thanks to this seriously brilliant team that refuses to relinquish top spot and has chalked up its 26th win of the season.

Only a handful of tragic Spurs and Chelsea fans are backing City at this stage and the Gunners in many ways are the people’s champions whatever happens in the end.

Bukayo Saka confidently opened the scoring from the spot after Kai Havertz won a pretty dubious penalty.

Leandro Trossard rolled in the second with his trademark calmness after a pirouette and pass by Declan Rice.

And it was Rice who capped his man of the match performance with a goal in the 97th minute, pounding in after scooping up an unselfish pass from the substitute Jesus.

Some of the passing moves today were absolutely breathtaking.

All the players have brilliant touch, pass with great feel and weight, and are up for the fight.

Mikel Arteta in the post match press conference reflected on the impact of his two big summer signings.

He said: “This is what we are looking for. If we spend the money we had to do it wisely.

“They players we brought in had a great impact on the team.

“Havertz h0nestly he was unbelievable. How he keeps the ball, how he links with players.”

He also heaped praise on Rice and also Saka who he said “loves winning more than a year ago”.

For all the machine-like relentlessness of the attacks, it was Thomas Partey’s sliding shot block and another powerful piece of defending by William Saliba that got huge cheers.

There was a nervy period when Bournemouth came back into the game in the second half and the visitors had the ball in the back of the net after a bizarre passage of play.

Dom Solanke nudged David Raya in the back – Ben White Style – as he came for a looping ball. It made him slightly skew his punch-out to Christie who smashed in a rebound from outside the box flat against the crossbar.

Antoine Semenyo tucked in the rebound. But the ref’s called the foul on Raya and VAR did not overturn it.

It was one of several 50/50 decisions that were hard to call in the game.

Saka’s penalty was one of those that it if the pen hadn’t have been given, VAR wouldn’t have overturned.

It was a nervy minute as the screen watchers debated whether Havertz had dragged his foot onto the leg of keeper Travers.

It looked as if he had but VAR clearly felt the ref’s decision couldn’t be overruled.

The Gunners had been raining down in that first half with a dazzling attacking display.

It felt like they were worth a new entry in the Guinness Book of Records for first half shots on target.

Travers kept making saves but you never really felt as if it was going to be ‘one of those days’.

That is largely thanks to captain Martin Odegarad who was once again driving on everything. It’s not just his vision but the energy he imparts across the pitch.

But today the plaudits must go to Declan Rice, who was particularly masterful.

He was in total control throughout the match and deserved his late goal.

He almost scored the opened, but his drilled half volley faded just wide of the post.

Havertz didn’t get on the scoresheet but did well up front.

He won the pen and was generally a handful for the Bournemouth backline.

Travers saved after nimble footwork and a good shot on the turn from him, before Raya was called into action for the first time.

This season’s “Golden Glove” winner saved well from Solanke and then pounced on the rebound.

Martinelli was sent clear through oon goal seconds after coming on. But he seems a little lacking in confidence and his run petered out disappointingly.

Gabriel scored what might have been one of our goals of the season with a top corner rocket across the face, but there was an offside in the build up, the VAR confirmed.

City take on Wolves in Saturday’s late game and Arteta said he would be watching it in his pyjamas with his family.

Arsenal: Raya, Saliba, Gabriel, White, Tomiyasu, Rice, Partey, Odegaard, Trossard (Martinelli 80), Havertz, Saka (Jesus 82)
Subs not used: Ramsdale, Rowe, Nketiah, Kiwior, Jorginho, Vieira, Zinchenko

Bournemouth: Travers, Cook, Solanke, Christie, Outtara, Scott, Smith, Kluivert, Semenyo, Senesi, Zabarnyi
Subs not used: Neto, McKenna, Hill, Unal, Billing, Aarons, Kinsey, Sadi. 

Attendance : 60,038