EPL: Arsenal beat Bournemouth 3-0, top table
Arsenal swept to the top of the Premier League with a 3-0 win at Bournemouth that extended their perfect start to the season, while Harry Kane made history in Tottenham’s 1-0 victory over Wolves on Saturday.
Just 12 months ago, Arsenal lost their first three league games in the club’s worst start to a season for 67 years.This year the Gunners sit in pole position after opening the campaign with a third successive victory.
It is too soon to declare Arsenal the finished article, but the derision that accompanied Mikel Arteta’s men when they squandered a golden opportunity to qualify for last season’s Champions League has been erased by their strong start this term.
After scoring four against Leicester last weekend, this was another swashbuckling display from the north Londoners.
Arsenal went ahead after five minutes as Gabriel Jesus’s superb run and pass found Gabriel Martinelli whose shot was pushed into the path of Martin Odegaard for a simple finish.
Denmark midfielder Odegaard netted again six minutes later when Jesus’ heavy touch fell kindly for the Arsenal captain to fire home from 10 yards.
William Saliba’s 54th minute goal, a superb first-time curler from the edge of the area, epitomised the confidence pulsing through Arsenal as the French defender claimed his first goal for the club.
Second-placed Tottenham have also made a strong start after backing Antonio Conte heavily in the transfer market in his first full season in charge.
After snatching a place in the Champions League from Arsenal in May, Tottenham have kept the momentum going with seven points from their first three games.
However, Conte was still displeased with a sloppy first-half performance that could have been punished by more potent opponents.
Tottenham improved markedly after the break and got their reward when Kane bulleted home a header after Ivan Perisic flicked on Son Heung-min’s corner.
Kane’s 185th Premier League goal – his 250th in all competitions for Tottenham – set a record for the most scored by anyone for a single club, edging ahead of Sergio Aguero’s 184 for Manchester City.
“I said that if we repeat the same results as last season we stay after three games with zero points,” said Conte. Punch
