Mikel Arteta has played down Arsenal’s position at the top of the Premier League table but admitted he was “proud” after his side produced another impressive display in a 3-0 win at Bournemouth, with William Saliba’s stunner the pick of the goals.
Captain Martin Odegaard also scored twice as Arsenal made it three wins from three this season, although Arteta was reluctant to get carried away with his team’s fast start.
“I’m proud because it’s not easy to come here and win 3-0 but there is still things to improve,” he said.
“It’s just three games, it doesn’t mean anything. What it means is the team is playing really well, we won three games, we’re scoring goals, we’re keeping clean sheets, the team is playing and performing well, it’s competing really well.”
Odegaard tapped in his first (5) after excellent work from star new signing Gabriel Jesus led to Gabriel Martinelli’s shot being parried, and the Norwegian hammered in a second (11) when Jesus’ heavy touch in the box teed him up.
But it was centre-back Saliba who stole the headlines with a sumptuous strike in the second half. The Frenchman scored an own goal last weekend against Leicester but more than made up for that with a wonderful, curling effort which went in off the underside of the bar (54).
William Saliba’s stunner is his first Arsenal goal and put them 3-0 up away at Bournemouth.
After waiting three seasons for his Arsenal first-team opportunity, the 21-year-old celebrated his first goal for the club in style.
Arteta had named the same Arsenal XI for the third match in a row and was rewarded with another extremely encouraging performance, with Jesus unplayable early on and denied a third goal of the season by a marginal VAR offside call.
Arsenal lost their first three matches last season but their perfect start to this campaign has them above north London rivals Tottenham in the table, with Man City – who also have a 100 per cent record – playing at Newcastle, live on Sky Sports on Super Sunday.
As for out-classed Bournemouth, they sit 14th after suffering during another tough assignment, having lost at City last time out. It doesn’t get any easier for Scott Parker’s side – they go to Liverpool next in the Premier League.
