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PIX: Arsenal outclass Bournemouth; Kane sets record

Last updated on: August 21, 2022 06:17 IST

IMAGES from Saturday's action in the Premier League

Martin Odegaard scores Arsenal's second goal during the Premier League match against  Bournemouth, at Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth, on Saturday.

IMAGE: Martin Odegaard scores Arsenal's second goal during the Premier League match against Bournemouth, at Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth, on Saturday. Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters

Martin Odegaard scored twice in the opening 11 minutes as Arsenal outclassed newly-promoted Bournemouth for a 3-0 victory to move top of the Premier League on Saturday.

The former Real Madrid player, Arsenal's captain, opened the scoring after five minutes following good work by Gabriel Jesus and doubled their lead from Ben White's pull back.

Bournemouth failed to have a shot or touch in Arsenal's penalty area in a one-sided first half and they were only marginally better in the second period.

 

French defender William Saliba curled an unstoppable effort into the top corner to make it 3-0 in the 54th minute and put Arsenal in to cruise control in the south coast sunshine.

Jesus, outstanding again for Arsenal, had a goal ruled out for offside as the visitors made it three successive wins -- a contrast to last season when they lost their opening three.

It is the first time they have won their first three Premier League games in 18 years.

Arsenal are top with nine points, two more than north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, although champions Manchester City can dislodge them with a win at Newcastle United on Sunday.

Bournemouth have suffered back-to-back defeats after beating Aston Villa on the opening day of the season.

While Arsenal will face sterner tests than a below-par Bournemouth, the ruthless way they tore Scott Parker's side apart showed how far they have come from last season.

William Saliba gets into position to score Arsenal's third goal.

IMAGE: William Saliba gets into position to score Arsenal's third goal. Photograph: John Sibley/Reuters

The signings of Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko from Manchester City appear to have galvanised Arsenal while French youngster Saliba, back from loan spells, looks the part.

"Winning makes life completely different. The atmosphere is good. The unity is incredible," Arteta said.

Arsenal were clearly in the mood from the first minute and they needed only five minutes to go ahead.

Jesus made a jinking run into the heart of the Bournemouth area and when fellow Brazilian Gabriel Martinelli's shot was saved the ball came out to Odegaard who steered it home.

Odegaard made it 2-0 when he buried Ben White's pull back in style -- the goal standing after a VAR check for offside.

Arsenal were streets ahead of Bournemouth and made it 3-0 nine minutes after the interval when Saliba picked out the top corner with a stylish finish from Granit Xhaka's set up.

Jesus thought he had made it 4-0 but a VAR check ruled it out for offside and Arsenal had several more chances late on to emphasise the gulf in class.

"The first half was really unacceptable from us in many ways. We needed to have humility in terms of understanding the dynamics of the game and what we were up against," Parker said.

"There's no disgrace losing to Arsenal but what is not acceptable is how we went about it in the first half."

Kane sets record with Spurs winner against Wolves

Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane scores their side's first goal against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Saturday

IMAGE: Harry Kane scores the match-winner for Tottenham Hotspur against Wolverhampton Wanderers, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. Photograph: Clive Mason/Getty Images

Harry Kane set a Premier League record in goals for a single club on Saturday as his headed effort earned Tottenham Hotspur a 1-0 home victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers that sent them to the top of the table.

Tottenham were outplayed in the first half but were a different proposition after the interval, with Kane pouncing in the 64th minute to score his 185th Premier League goal.

No other player has scored more goals for a single club in the Premier League era, with England skipper Kane moving clear of Sergio Aguero's tally for Manchester City.

Wolves, who are now winless in their last 10 Premier League games, had 12 goal attempts to Tottenham's one in the first half but were unable to make their superiority count.

Tottenham then found some extra gears to seize control, with Kane and Son Heung-min both being denied by the woodwork before Kane headed in from a corner flicked on by Ivan Perisic.

It was Tottenham's 1,000th Premier League goal at home and lifted them to seven points from their opening three games, a point more than champions Manchester City, who play on Sunday, and Arsenal who are in action later on Saturday.

Wolves have one point from their opening three games.

Kane barely had a look-in during a frustrating first half in which Wolves grew in confidence and regularly cut through Tottenham's defence but failed to seriously test Hugo Lloris.

Tottenham's Son Heung-Min battles for possession with Wolverhampton Wanderers' Matheus Nunes  

IMAGE: Tottenham's Son Heung-Min battles for possession with Wolverhampton Wanderers' Matheus Nunes. Photograph: Clive Mason/Getty Images

But just as when scoring a last-gasp equaliser at Chelsea last week, he used his poaching instincts to lethal effect.

Minutes after heading a Dejan Kulusevski cross against the bar, Kane found space in the box to beat Wolves keeper Jose Sa with one of the simplest goals of his career.

"It's been a fantastic nine or 10 years in the Premier League. Hopefully many more years to go. I always love scoring," Kane said when asked about moving past Aguero's mark.

Adding to the milestones, it was Kane's 250th goal in all competitions for Spurs.

"Credit to Wolves, they made it difficult. In the second half we came out with intensity. We created chances and pressed better. We deserved the goal," he said.

While Tottenham have started the season impressively, Kane acknowledged they need to improve.

"Credit to the boys, they dug deep. We need to start games better. We need to improve. But the sign of a good team is winning when you don't play at your best," he said.

Wolves, who named seven Portuguese players in their starting line-up, will rue not capitalising on an impressive first half.

Ruben Neves curled one effort wide, Daniel Podence snatched at a chance and Matheus Nunes, making his debut, went closest with a header that drifted agonisingly wide of the Tottenham goal.

Late Gray goal earns Everton draw with Nottingham Forest

Everton's Demarai Gray scores against Nottingham Forest at Goodison Park in Liverpool

IMAGE: Everton's Demarai Gray scores against Nottingham Forest, at Goodison Park, Liverpool. Photograph: Lee Smith/Action Images via Reuters

Winger Demarai Gray fired a late equaliser to give Everton a 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest at Goodison Park on Saturday as they picked up their first point of the new Premier League season following a rocky start.

After a wide-open first half that finished scoreless, Salomon Rondon almost put the home side in front early in the second with a quick turn and shot, but the ball flew just wide at the foot of the left-hand post.

Forest gave a debut to club record signing Morgan Gibbs-White a day after he arrived from Wolverhampton Wanderers on a five-year deal and he led a lively raid down the left that almost resulted in a goal for Neco Williams.

Though both sides created plenty of chances in an open and free-flowing game, they lacked the killer instinct in front of goal and the match looked to be heading for a draw until Brennan Johnson popped up in the 81st minute.

The 21-year-old, who netted 16 goals in the second-tier Championship last season, reacted quickest to steer home a rebound for his first goal of the season and looked all set to give his side their second victory in a row.

Gray had other ideas, however, latching on to a long ball from goalkeeper Jordan Pickford before confidently slotting the ball into the net to the delight of the home fans in the 88th minute to snatch a deserved draw for his side.

Zaha scores twice as Palace beat Aston Villa

Crystal Palace's Wilfried Zaha celebrates their first goal scored by Jean-Philippe Mateta

IMAGE: Wilfried Zaha celebrates scoring Crystal Palace's opening goal against Aston Villa, at Selhurst Park, London. Photograph: Ian Walton/Reuters

Two goals from Wilfried Zaha and a late strike by Jean-Philippe Mateta helped Crystal Palace come from behind and defeat Aston Villa 3-1 at Selhurst Park on Saturday for their first win of the Premier League season.

Mateta volleyed a fine cross from Tyrick Mitchell home from close range to wrap up the win in the 71st minute, with Palace having taken the lead when Zaha scored on the rebound after Emiliano Martinez saved his penalty.

Earlier, Ollie Watkins ran on to a pass by Leon Bailey and put Villa ahead in the fifth minute for his first goal of the campaign, but a vibrant Palace did not need long to respond.

Zaha found himself in space two minutes later and slotted the ball past Martinez to restore parity for Patrick Vieira's side, who could have gone in front had Jeffrey Schlupp's strike not been ruled out for offside.

Villa defender Lucas Digne handled the ball in the penalty area after the break and Zaha's initial shot from the spot was saved, but the Ivorian striker made no error on the rebound in the 58th minute.

Adams scores twice as Southampton seal comeback win at Leicester

Southampton's Che Adams celebrates scoring their second goal against Leicester City

IMAGE: Che Adams celebrates scoring Southampton's second goal against Leicester City. Photograph: Craig Brough/Reuters

Southampton came from behind to beat Leicester City 2-1 in Saturday's Premier League game at the King Power Stadium, as Che Adams scored twice after coming off the bench.

Following a goalless first half, Leicester took the lead in the 54th minute with a free-kick from James Maddison but super-sub Adams scored in the 68th and 84th minute to seal Southampton's first win of the season.

Adams scored nine minutes after coming off the bench, finding the target with a low strike following a long throw-in, while the hosts were left to rue their poor defending.

The Leicester-born Scotland forward then completed his double with an acrobatic effort as he volleyed home a cross from James Ward-Prowse, prompting boos around the King Power Stadium.

Adams almost bagged a hat-trick in stoppage time, but his shot rebounded off the post.

Earlier, Maddison had put Leicester ahead after he whipped the ball around the Southampton wall from a free-kick and found the bottom corner of the net, marking his second goal in three games.

Mitrovic nets winner as Fulham sink Brentford in derby thriller

Fulham's Aleksandar Mitrovic scores their third goal against Brentford at Craven Cottage

IMAGE: Aleksandar Mitrovic scores Fulham's third goal against Brentford at Craven Cottage. Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images via Reuters

Fulham sealed their first victory of the Premier League campaign by beating Brentford 3-2 on Saturday thanks to a late Aleksandar Mitrovic winner, after Bobby De Cordova-Reid scored the fastest goal of the season and Joao Palhinha produced a bullet header.

Mitrovic looked set to rue several missed chances, but rose to guide in a header from Kevin Mbabu's cross in the 90th minute after Brentford's Ivan Toney equalised to make it 2-2 in the 71st minute of a breathless encounter at Craven Cottage.

"Amazing feeling," said Serbian Mitrovic, who has scored three goals this season. "I think it was a good derby. Lots of goals, turnovers and in the end we managed to get the win."

"We made it difficult for ourselves and in the end I managed to get a goal. (Brentford goalkeeper) David Raya made it hard. I missed a lot of chances and lots of ups and downs but I never gave up. I stayed calm and kept believing."

The result means Marco Silva's side are unbeaten after three matches, having drawn 2-2 with Liverpool in their opener before a goalless draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out.

"The manager has changed the club, the way we play and the way we believe," Mitrovic added. "We never give up. Today we deserved three points. We are happy to get that first three points and be still undefeated after three games."

Earlier, the first top-flight clash between the West London rivals got off to a fast start as De Cordova-Reid bundled the ball home on 44 seconds following a scramble in the penalty area, with the visitors paying for losing possession cheaply.

Summer signing Palhinha then rose authoritatively to nod in Fulham's second after a delightful cross from fellow midfielder Andreas Pereira on 20 minutes as the hosts looked primed to put Thomas Frank's side to the sword.

But Brentford, who were second best for much of the opening period, pulled a goal back before the break through an unmarked Christian Norgaard as the Denmark midfielder's thumping volley flew past goalkeeper Bernd Leno to give them a lifeline.

Both teams threatened after the restart as Brentford's Toney was twice denied by the Video Assistant Referee while his Fulham counterpart Mitrovic also spurned a number of opportunities before making his final one count.

Source: REUTERS
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