On a brisk Saturday at the Vitality Stadium, Arsenal kicked off 2026 with a pulsating 3-2 victory over Bournemouth, extending their Premier League winning streak to five games and tightening their grip atop the table. The Gunners, led by a second-half brace from Declan Rice, overcame an early defensive blunder and a spirited Bournemouth side to secure three vital points in a match that swung wildly from end to end.
Bournemouth, desperate to snap an alarming winless run that now stretches to 11 league matches, drew first blood just 11 minutes in. Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhães, under little pressure, inexplicably played a square pass across his own box. The pass was intercepted by Bournemouth’s Evanilson, who made no mistake, calmly slotting past David Raya to give the hosts an early lead. It was a moment Gabriel would want to forget, but redemption wasn’t far off.
Just five minutes later, Arsenal responded. Noni Madueke, lively on the right, danced through the Bournemouth defense and cut the ball back from the byline. Gabriel Martinelli’s shot was blocked, but the loose ball fell kindly to Gabriel Magalhães, who rifled a left-footed drive into the top corner. The big Brazilian’s celebration was as much relief as it was joy, and the Gunners were level at 1-1.
The first half continued at a frantic pace. Bournemouth, with Marcus Tavernier and Justin Kluivert probing from midfield, created several half-chances. Tavernier headed wide from a promising position, and Kluivert’s free-kick whistled just past the post. Arsenal, meanwhile, struggled to find rhythm but threatened on the break, with Madueke and Martinelli forcing Petrovic into action. At the break, the score was locked at 1-1, and both sets of supporters sensed more drama to come.
After the interval, Bournemouth’s David Brooks broke Arsenal’s offside trap but dragged his shot wide, a warning that the Cherries weren’t done yet. But it was Arsenal who struck next. Ten minutes into the second half, Viktor Gyökeres held up a bouncing ball inside the area, and Martin Ødegaard was quick to assess his options. He rolled a pass to Declan Rice, who strode onto it and finished crisply, low inside Petrovic’s post from just outside the box. Arsenal had the lead for the first time, and the traveling supporters erupted into song in tribute to their midfield talisman.
Bournemouth, to their credit, kept pushing. Antoine Semenyo, whose name has been swirling in transfer rumors linking him to Manchester City, ran tirelessly up front. Despite the speculation, Semenyo played the full 90 minutes, giving the Gunners' defense plenty to think about. However, it was Arsenal who looked more likely to score again, and just after the hour mark, they did.
Martin Ødegaard was again at the heart of things, finding Bukayo Saka—fresh off the bench—making a run inside the full back. Saka beat Petrovic to the byline and cut the ball back for Declan Rice, who slotted home his second of the afternoon. The Gunners seemed to be cruising at 3-1, but the game was far from over.
Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola turned to his bench, bringing on Junior Kroupi, Amine Adli, and Enes Ünal in search of a spark. The move paid dividends almost immediately. In the 76th minute, following a set-piece situation, Lewis Cook laid the ball off to Junior Kroupi, who unleashed a stunning right-footed shot from 25 yards. The ball flew past Raya into the bottom left corner, and suddenly it was game on again at 3-2.
The final quarter-hour was played at a feverish tempo. Arsenal’s defense, marshaled by Saliba and Gabriel, had to weather a late Bournemouth storm. Amine Adli and Junior Kroupi both picked up yellow cards as tempers flared and the Cherries pressed for an equalizer. Gabriel Jesus, Leandro Trossard, and Mikel Merino all came off the bench for Arsenal to add fresh legs and defensive steel in the closing stages.
Despite the late onslaught, Arsenal held firm. David Raya made a crucial save from Marcus Tavernier, and Gabriel Magalhães won a vital free kick deep in stoppage time. The fourth official had announced six minutes of added time, and every second ticked by with mounting tension for both sets of fans. In the end, the Gunners saw out the victory, much to the delight of their traveling faithful.
With this win, Arsenal not only extended their winning run to five games but also opened up a six-point lead over second-place Aston Villa—though Manchester City could cut the gap to four if they win their match against Chelsea on Sunday. Declan Rice’s performance, capped by two expertly taken goals, was central to Arsenal’s triumph. As the midfielder left the pitch, he was serenaded by the away supporters, a testament to his growing influence in Mikel Arteta’s side.
For Bournemouth, the defeat leaves them 15th in the Premier League table, still nine points clear of the relegation zone but searching for answers amid an 11-match winless streak. The Cherries’ next test comes quickly, as they host Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday before facing Newcastle United in the FA Cup. Arsenal, meanwhile, will look to keep their momentum rolling when they host Liverpool in a high-stakes clash on Thursday, followed by a trip to Portsmouth in the FA Cup third round.
Both teams dealt with injury concerns heading into this fixture, with Bournemouth missing Ryan Christie, Tyler Adams, Veljko Milosavljevic, Ben Gannon-Doak, and Matai Akinmboni, while Arsenal were without Riccardo Calafiori, Max Dowman, and Cristhian Mosquera. Despite these absences, the match delivered quality and drama in abundance—a fitting start to the new year for Premier League fans.
As the dust settles on a breathless encounter, Arsenal’s title ambitions look stronger than ever, while Bournemouth must regroup quickly to halt their slide. The Gunners march on, but the Premier League’s twists and turns promise plenty more excitement in the weeks ahead.