Arsenal stay at top following 3-0 win over Bournemouth

BOURNEMOUTH: A brace from captain Martin Odegaard and a goal from William Saliba powered Arsenal to a 3-0 win over Bournemouth in their Premier League match at the Dean Court on Saturday.

With this victory, Arsenal is at the top spot in the Premier League table, with a hat-trick of wins and nine points. Their opponent Bournemouth is at the 14th spot in the table with a win in three matches and just three points.

Odegaard gave Arsenal an advantage in the opening five minutes, scoring a 5th-minute goal. Just six minutes later, he hammered his second goal when a touch in the box by new signee Gabriel Jesus teed him up.

At half-time, the scoreline read 209 in the favour of Arsenal.

In the 54th minute, the centre-back Saliba tripled the lead with an outstanding strike. He made up for his own goal against Leicester. Waiting in the sidelines for a first-team opportunity for three seasons, the 21-year-old celebrated his first goal for the club.

Following the match, Mikel Arteta, the Arsenal manager expressed pride with his team's performance. Though he downplayed his team's position at the top of the standings.

"I am proud because it's not easy to come here and win 3-0 but there is still things to improve," Sky Sports quoted Arteta as saying.

"It is just three games, it does not mean anything. What it means is the team is playing really well, we won three games, we are scoring goals, we are keeping clean sheets, the team is playing and performing well, it is competing really well," he added.

Arsenal had lost their first three matches during the last season but this time around a hat-trick of wins has put them above north London rivals Tottenham Hotspurs. Manchester City also has a 100 per cent record and will play against Newcastle United on Sunday. It will be playing Fulham next on August 27.

Bournemouth sits at 14th and will play Liverpool next.