Arsenal maintained their unbeaten start to the Premier League season on Saturday with a 4-0 thrashing of AFC Bournemouth.
The victory was the Gunners’ fifth league win in seven games this season and moved up to the second spot on the league table.
First-half goals from Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard put Mikel Arteta’s men ahead. In the second half, Kai Havertz netted his first goal for the club since his £65million move from Chelsea and Ben White added a fourth.
The win is a huge boost for the north Londoners ahead of next week’s nail-biter against Manchester City.
Pep Guardiola’s men will visit the Emirates Stadium next Sunday following the midweek’s Champions League action in what could be a decisive early-season fixture in the title race.
And ahead of the game, Arsenal have been handed a boost a week before the clash after Guardiola’s side lost 2-1 at Wolverhampton Wanderers. The defeat at Molineux means they have now lost two consecutive games for the first time since January following Wednesday’s Carabao Cup loss to Newcastle.
In both games, Rodri has been absent as part of his suspension. The holding midfielder was sent off in last weekend’s 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest and will miss next week’s clash with the Gunners.
Wolves showed exactly how to defeat a Man City side without Rodri patrolling things in midfield.
Arsenal aren’t expected to replicate the Wanderers’ game plan of deploying 11 men behind the ball, but the two losses will be positive viewing for Arteta.