Declan Rice Inspires The Gunners to Dramatic Comeback Victory at Bournemouth
The league leaders' revenge tour in recent days has continued. Following dismantling Aston Villa, it was Andoni Iraola's Bournemouth who felt the force even after receiving an opening goal through a uncharacteristic Gabriel Magalhães error.
The Brazilian defender made amends by scoring the equalizer, before Declan Rice marked a return from injury by netting a match-winning double to help Mikel Arteta's side stretched the gap at the summit in the title race.
The Arsenal manager had vowed his squad had learned following last season's loss on this ground. After a sloppy first-half, it appeared those lessons remained unlearned. However, a much sharper performance after the interval, fueled by the midfielder's dominance, secured a fifth consecutive three points and sent a message across the Premier League.
Early Setback Met With Quick Reply
Earlier events had seen their lead cut before kick-off. A major boost, however, was Declan Rice passing a late fitness test. With an eye on a crucial meeting with Liverpool, changes were made, with star wingers and Trossard starting on the bench.
Bournemouth, unchanged, saw their forward almost create a dream start immediately. Unexpectedly, the first goal fell to the hosts after an errant attempted ball was intercepted to the striker, who finished calmly.
The manager's frustration was palpable, however his mood changed with the culprit who provided redemption. Following lively work from Noni Madueke, the ball broke to Gabriel, who lashed home a fierce left-footed finish to restore parity.
Midfielder Takes Over to Seize Control
The opening half remained far from fluid for the visitors, with striker Viktor Gyökeres isolated while the Bournemouth forward proving a constant menace. Tempers flared at halftime, with the Arsenal bench exchanging words against the opposition and heading off down the tunnel.
Whatever was said during the interval worked wonders. Almost instantly of the restart, a slick move involving Gyökeres and Martin Ødegaard presented a chance to Declan Rice, who made no mistake beat the goalkeeper to complete the turnaround.
The England star had more to offer, adding a second minutes later after exquisite combination play involving Bukayo Saka and Martin Ødegaard. He marked the goal affectionately to a pitchside camera, as Arsenal appearing cruising.
Late Nerves Sees Out the Win
The home side, refusing to give up, found a response. Substitute Kroupi unleashed an outstanding long-range effort which soared into the net to set up a nervous ending.
Bournemouth pressed for an equalizer until the very end, with their fans furious when the final whistle was blown midway through a promising attack. However, for the victorious team, it was the only thing that counted: another vital points in a relentless title pursuit.
