Arsenal keep title race close with Bournemouth win

LONDON (AP):

ARSENAL MAINTAINED its pursuit of the Premier League title with a 3-0 win over Bournemouth that briefly lifted Mikel Arteta’s team four points clear of second-place Manchester City yesterday.

City reduced the gap back to one point by beating Wolverhampton 5-1 later in the day and still have another game in hand.

Bukayo Saka converted a penalty in the 45th minute after a trip on Kai Havertz before Leandro Trossard and Declan Rice added second-half goals at Emirates Stadium to secure Arsenal’s fourth straight victory in the league.

Arsenal, seeking their first league title since 2004, have two matches still to play – at Manchester United and home against Everton.

Havertz won the penalty in the 42nd minute after running on to a through-ball and rounding Mark Travers, only for the goalkeeper to clip the Germany international’s trailing leg.

Saka made it six from six from the penalty spot this season with what was Arsenal’s 16th shot of the match at that point.

Bournemouth came into the game more in the second half but lost hope when Rice teed up Trossard, who curled in a low shot from inside the area in the 70th.

Rice ran onto Gabriel Jesus’ pass and scored in the seventh minute of stoppage time to wrap up the win.

At 2-0, Ryan Christie had a goal for Bournemouth disallowed for a push on Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya by Dominic Solanke in the buildup, with a VAR check not changing the decision of the on-field referee.