Arsenal were looking to bounce back from a Boxing Day to forget at Southampton when they welcomed Bournemouth to the Emirates on Bank Holiday Monday.
After a slow start, Gabriel Paulista broke the deadlock with his first Arsenal goal and from there it was comfortable for the Gunners, with shining light Mesut Ozil adding the second after setting up the first.
Read all about the win that took the Gunners back to the top of the table with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates below.
Evening all! We're at the main course of the Premier League's festive feast and tonight there's three 5.30pm kickoffs. Here we'll be focussing on Arsenal vs. Bournemouth, which I think will be a real cracker. Team news on its way...
ARSENAL XI: Cech; Bellerin, Gabriel, Mertesacker, Gibbs; Chambers, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ozil; Walcott, Giroud
Subs: Ospina; Debuchy, Monreal, Koscielny; Campbell, Adelaide; Iwobi
Subs: Ospina; Debuchy, Monreal, Koscielny; Campbell, Adelaide; Iwobi
BOURNEMOUTH XI: Boruc; Smith, Francis, Cook, Daniels; Ritchie, Gosling, Arter, Surman, Pugh; King
Subs: Federici, Distin, O'Kane, Stanislas, Tomlin, Rantie, Murray
Subs: Federici, Distin, O'Kane, Stanislas, Tomlin, Rantie, Murray
Okey doke. Arsenal put in a terrible performance on Boxing Day by going down 4-0 at Southampton and Arsene Wenger has made four changes to his starting XI. Nacho Monreal, Laurent Koscielny, Mathieu Flamini and Joel Campbell drop out, with Kieran Gibbs, Gabriel Paulista, Calum Chambers and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain coming in. Chambers will be playing in defensive midfield. Big day for him.
For the visiting Cherries, Josh King makes a return from injury and Mark Pugh makes his first start in eight. Glenn Murray and Junior Stanislas drop to the bench.
Here's more on the visitors' lineup from assistant Jason Tindall:
TEAM NEWS: Hear from assistant manager Jason Tindall who talks through the line up for #ARSBOU: https://t.co/AX5rVFeVDg #afcb — AFC Bournemouth (@afcbournemouth) December 28, 2015
Arsenal are big favourites here and they'll be keen to bounce back from that horror show on Saturday night. They had won four in a row before that and Southampton had lost five of six, so it was a real shock to see the Gunners go down 4-0.
STAT: Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 21 Premier League meetings with newly-promoted opposition (W17 D4). The Gunners have also scored in each of their last 29 Premier League games against newly-promoted opposition.
A Gunners goal is likely, then, but Bournemouth will be confident of finding the net themselves. Eddie Howe's side had their three-game winning streak ended with a goalless draw against Crystal Palace on Boxing Day, but they are unbeaten in six and looking good.
The Cherries have won on five of their last six league trips to London, including a very impressive win at Chelsea earlier this month. West Brom and Norwich both won this afternoon, so Howe's men will be keen to keep pace with them and move six points clear of the drop zone.
At the other end of the table, Arsenal are two points behind Leicester and will go top for 24 hours at least before the Foxes host Manchester City in a huge game tomorrow night. Click here to see how the Premier League table looks right now after the five 3pm kickoffs.
If the Gunners wanted more incentive, they need a win to re-establish a four-point lead over their North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, who scored an 89th-minute winner to beat Watford 2-1 a little earlier. Read about that and the other 3pms by clicking here.
STAT: As the two teams emerge from the tunnel here's a stat for you - Bournemouth will become Arsenal's 80th different opponent in league football in this match. The only other time that these two have met competitively was in a League Cup third-round tie in 1987-88, which Arsenal won 3-0 thanks to goals from Alan Smith, Kevin Richardson and Michael Thomas.
We've also got live coverage of the game between Man Utd and Chelsea. Open this link in a new tab to join my colleague Barney Corkhill for what could be Van Gaal's last game in charge of United.
KICKOFF! After a minute's applause in memory of the recently-passed Don Howe, Arsenal get us underway!
Early corner for Bournemouth, who are in their blue-and-black away kit today. They take it short and it comes to nothing.
PREDICTION: Whoops! Just realised I forgot my pre-match prediction. I'll go for a 2-1 Arsenal win.
First shot of the match comes from Bournemouth's lone striker King, whose attempted curler is easy for Cech to grab.
King's pace will definitely worry Mertesacker and he almost races past the German here, but runs the ball out of play.
Little delay here as referee Roger East signals for some medical attention for Arter, who hit his head when challenging for a ball in the air. He'll be OK to continue.
Bellerin, who I'd like to keep a clean sheet for fantasy football, wins an early header
© AFP
© AFP
UPDATE: Not much to speak about here, but there has been a goal at Upton Park, where Southampton lead West Ham thanks to either Tadic or a Jenkinson own goal. Hard to tell.
Arter perhaps lucky not to get booked for checking Oxlade-Chamberlain's breakaway run after Ramsey had slid in and prevented Daniels's cross reaching a Bournemouth teammate in the middle.
Chambers out quickly to block Arter's firm shot at goal. This has been a good start by the visitors. Arsenal not seeing as much of the ball as you would expect.
An early contender for picture of the match. Wenger won't be too happy with what he's seen so far.
© AFP
© AFP
Daniels had just taken a throw-in. He's not doing his best gorilla impression.
Twenty minutes gone and Arsenal are yet to have a shot on goal. Bournemouth defending well and, if you had to pick one, the more dangerous of the two teams.
CHANCE! First sight of goal for the hosts as Ozil lifts the ball over the top for Walcott. The offside flag stays down and Walcott tries to hook the ball goalwards on the volley, but fails to make any contact. Decent chance, that.
GOAL! ARSENAL 1-0 BOURNEMOUTH (GABRIEL)
Bournemouth's excellent start completely wasted as they fail to mark at a corner. Gabriel steams in and powers a header into the top corner. And yes, it was Ozil with the delivery.
That's Gabriel's first goal for the Gunners and Ozil's 16th Premier League assist this season, eight more than any other player.
It's harsh on Bournemouth, but if you're going to let a ball reach the six-yard line and allow an opponent a free header, you deserve to be punished.
© AFP
© AFP
Arsenal much more confident now and Walcott threatens with a looped effort from a tight angle that goes behind for a corner.
OFF THE POST! Gabriel so close to a second as he again meets an Ozil corner and flicks a header towards the far post. Boruc gets a slight touch on it and that's enough to divert it onto the post. It rebounds back and comically hits Mertesacker in the face before dropping wide.
SAVE! Arsenal are all over the Cherries here. Ozil with an eye-of-the-needle pass into Walcott and the England man takes it well in his stride before Boruc comes out to deny him.
A spate of Arsenal corners and they're all causing Bournemouth problems. The latest is met by Giroud but he can't find the target.
It's a really tough ask for Eddie Howe's side to get back in this now. They're all over the place.
© Getty Images
© Getty Images
CLOSE! And again! Ozil's latest corner is flicked on at the near post and Ramsey comes in at the back but can't direct his stooped header on target. Bournemouth need to get through to half time here.
Just the one minute of added time.
HALF-TIME: ARSENAL 1-0 BOURNEMOUTH
A half-hearted appeal for an Arsenal penalty just before the break as Giroud fell while scrabbling with Francis. No chance East was going to give that.
It's the home side who lead then thanks to Gabriel's first goal in Arsenal colours. Bournemouth were really good for 25 minutes, but once they fell behind they seemed to lose their heads. Big half-time team talk for Howe now. We'll be back for the second half shortly.
KICKOFF! The Cherries get us back underway and there is a change, with Stanislas on for Pugh down the left. No real surprise there, Stanislas has been in decent form of late.
So, as things stand, Arsenal are going top of the table. In the other two games it's Man Utd 0-0 Chelsea and West Ham 0-1 Southampton.
BLOCK! Arsenal in trouble as King beats the offside trap and looks for Stanislas with a low cross. Gabriel does really well to get back and make a last-ditch block, though.
Arsenal streak forward down the other end and Oxlade-Chamberlain's cross is just too high for Walcott, who would have had a free header from about eight yards.
Bournemouth have settled down a bit after seemingly losing their heads at the end of the first half. Smith has just driven a cross in from the right that Cech did well to hold.
And now the Cherries earn a corner as Daniels's cross is deflected behind. It comes to nothing, though, as Arsenal deal with the danger.
Gosling wants a penalty as he beats Gabriel to a loose ball and is seemingly kicked by the Brazilian. You can see why he appealed, but that was never a penalty.
BOOKING! Chambers is the second Arsenal player booked, after Ramsey, for sliding in on Arter.
BOURNEMOUTH SUB: A second Cherries change as O'Kane replaces Gosling in midfield.
GOAL! ARSENAL 2-0 BOURNEMOUTH (MESUT OZIL)
Fabulous, fabulous goal from the Gunners. It's one of those superb one-touch passing moves as Ozil feeds Giroud and the Frenchman returns it to him with a flicked pass that carves open the Bournemouth defence. Ozil takes one touch before coolly slotting past Boruc.
Surely that's game over now? Bournemouth really haven't created much at all and two goals is probably too big a mountain to climb.
Mesut Özil has now been involved in 19 Premier League goals this season, only Riyad Mahrez (20) can better that. pic.twitter.com/4I3XXrDIkC
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) December 28, 2015
CLOSE! Bellerin finds Walcott and the forward goes for goal from the right side of the box, flashing it just wide of the far upright. He did have support in the middle and a cross might have been better.
A third goal would really kill the visitors off and Arsenal do seem to be smelling blood. Ramsey surges forward and cuts back for Giroud, but the striker's first touch is poor and Bournemouth survive.
CLOSE! Giroud tests Boruc from 20 yards and the ball drops to Walcott, who somehow hits it wide from six yards. Luckily for the latter, the offside flag was up.
SAVE! A first shot on target since the opening few minutes for Bournemouth as Ritchie lines one up from distance and fizzes it straight at Cech. Well-hit, but not well-directed.
Fantastic defending from Bellerin as he slides in and wins a goal kick by hitting the ball off Stanislas, who was almost in behind.
Arsenal's magic man
© Getty Images
© Getty Images
CHANCE! Ozil and Giroud are working together very well today and the latter almost gets in on the act by sliding the ball wide after receiving the German's cutback.
SUBS: Both teams mix it up, with Giroud replaced by Campbell for the hosts and Glenn Murray on for King for the visitors.
SHOT! O'Kane receives the ball in the area and looks for the top corner, but just puts too much on it. A Bournemouth goal now would make it an interesting finish.
ARSENAL SUB: And another Gunners change as Monreal takes Gibbs's place at left-back.
OFF THE POST! Oxlade-Chamberlain inches from putting this one to bed as his shot takes a slight deflection off Cook, loops over Boruc and hits the outside of the post.
UPDATE: It's still goalless at Old Trafford between Man Utd and Chelsea, while West Ham have turned it around and lead Southampton 2-1 thanks to goals from Michail Antonio and Andy Carroll.
Arsenal are seeing the game out well here and there are just three more additional minutes.
SAVE! One last chance for Bournemouth as Murray receives the ball in the box. He turns and fires quickly, with Cech alert to the danger.
CHANCE! Arsenal come forward and have a chance on the counter through Walcott, who is denied by Boruc after another gorgeous through-ball by Ozil.
ARSENAL SUB: Late change from the hosts as Alex Iwobi makes his home debut by coming on for Oxlade-Chamberlain.
FULL-TIME: ARSENAL 2-0 BOURNEMOUTH
Bournemouth's unbeaten run comes to an end at six games as Arsenal's dazzling German Mesut Ozil inspires them to victory at the Emirates.
Thanks a lot for joining SM this evening. I'll leave you with our match report and urge you to have a click around on the site for more Premier League reports and match reaction. Enjoy what's left of Bank Holiday Monday!
Written by
Pascal Lemesre
Pascal Lemesre
