Arsenal has climbed up to third in the Premier League table after securing a 1-0 win over Bournemouth in a tight game at the Emirates Stadium.
David Luiz bagged his first goal as a Gunners player – his ninth-minute header turning out to be all that separated the two sides.
Unai Emery’s men had chances to extend their lead with the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Nicolas Pepe going close.
However, they nearly failed to hold onto the three points with the likes of Callum Wilson and Josh King giving the Arsenal defense things to think about.
But Arsenal claimed a deserved three points and go into the international break with only Manchester City and Liverpool above them.
Things looked a bit damp for the Gunners after their 1-1 draw at Manchester United on Monday night.
But their thrashing of Standard Liege in the Europa League on Thursday lifted spirits slightly and Arsenal started this game very confidently.
They could have taken the lead on 6 minutes but Aubameyang’s curling effort from the left whistled just past the post.
Arsenal didn’t have to wait long to take the lead though when Luiz met Pepe’s corner from the right and glanced the ball into the corner of the net – the ball did take a telling deflection off Josh King before bouncing in.
Pepe almost doubled their lead shortly afterward but his effort sailed slightly over the bar, while Aubameyang had an effort cleared off the line by Philip Billing.
The visitors were much more potent in an attack in the second half and were nearly level when Wilson rounded Bernd Leno from a tight angle but his ball across was cleared away.
Jack Stacey’s cross-cum-shot forced Leno into making a smart save, while Matteo Guendouzi made a vital block to deny King a certain goal on 89 minutes.
Aubameyang should have scored when he hit the post on the stretch from six yards out in stoppage-time, although the striker was offside when the low cross came in.
But none of that mattered in the end for the home side as they held on for the win.
