EPL: Rice shines as Arsenal thrash Bournemouth 3-0 to maintain top spot

Declan Rice scored and provided an assist as Arsenal reopened a four-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table with a 3-0 win over Bournemouth at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

Bukayo Saka put the Gunners ahead from the penalty spot in a one-sided first half before Leandro Trossard swept home their second following a spell of Bournemouth pressure after the break.

The visitors had a goal controversially ruled out after that, with VAR upholding referee David Coote’s decision to penalise Dominic Solanke for a foul on David Raya.

Rice added the third goal of the match in the stoppage-time.

The emphatic victory maintains Arsenal’s title charge and puts the pressure back on City as they prepare to host Wolves on Saturday evening.

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Pep Guardiola’s team, who have two games in hand on Arsenal, can clinch an unprecedented fourth successive English title if they win their last four matches.

Arsenal’s 26th Premier League victory this season equalled the club’s top-flight record for a single campaign.

Mikel Arteta’s men gifted the title to City last season after blowing an eight-point lead in the closing weeks.

But the north Londoners have learned from that meltdown, winning 14 of their 16 league games in 2024 to stay firmly in the hunt.

Arteta was a childhood friend of Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola back home in Spain, but there was no room for sentimentality with the title on the line.

Arsenal continue their title bid at Manchester United on Sunday, May 12. They end the season at home to Everton on Sunday, May 19.

Bournemouth, on the other hand, host Brentford in their last home game of the season on Saturday, May 11. The Cherries finish the season at Chelsea on May 19.

The Star