Declan Rice

The Gunners swept aside Bournemouth as Saka's penalty opened the scoring before late second-half finishes from Leandro Trossard and Declan Rice sealed another much-needed victory.

With two games to spare, Arsenal have equalled their Premier League win tally from last season (26), only in 1930-31 (28) and 1970-71 (29) have the Gunners won more games in a single top-flight campaign.

That is in large part thanks to Saka, who became the first player to score 20 goals for Arsenal in a season (all competitions) since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in 2019-20 (29 goals).

He is also the first Englishman to do so for the club since Theo Walcott in 2012-13 (21 goals) and Arteta was quick to praise star winger Saka.

"The level of consistency compared to last year is very similar," the Arsenal manager said at his post-match press conference. 

"There are areas he's better in. I see a different edge to him in the way he competes. He loves winning more than three months ago."

Kai Haverz won Saka's first-half penalty, though Bournemouth may feel the Arsenal forward triggered contact with goalkeeper Mark Travers.

The Cherries also had a goal disallowed at 2-0 down when Dominic Solanke was adjudged to have fouled David Raya before Antoine Semenyo turned into an empty net.

A lengthy VAR check followed both decisions but Arteta refused to comment on either incident, suggesting he had not seen them back yet.

"The honest answer is I haven't seen any of the incidents because I knew you were going to ask me," he added.

"They said do you want to see it and I said no so I can give you an honest answer!"

All 10 of Arsenal’s outfield starters attempted at least one shot in this game, the first time this has happened in a Premier League game for the Gunners since January 2022 against Burnley.

Gabriel Magalhaes almost got in the act but his strike was ruled out late on for offside, before Rice managed to add gloss to a dominant performance.

Rice was playing for West Ham last season as Arsenal capitulated in the title race against Man City, though the England international is hoping for a different outcome this time around.

"I wasn't here last year but I can sense that we are embracing it," the Arsenal midfielder told TNT Sports as Man City prepare to host Wolves later on Saturday.

"Man City are a machine and they don't lose many. Anything can happen in football. Surprises can happen and miracles can happen and we just have to stay focused."

Arsenal will continue to go about their business in hope of Man City slipping up, the Gunners have won 14 of their 16 Premier League games in 2024 (D1 L1), scoring 51 goals and conceding just eight in reply.

Indeed, the Gunners have won the most points in the competition since the turn of the year (43), but Arteta's side remain reliant on favours from elsewhere in the title race.

The 24-year-old midfielder completed his £105million switch from West Ham on Saturday and just four days later made his bow 3,660 miles away from the Emirates Stadium.

Rice was introduced as a second half substitute in Washington DC as Arsenal swept aside the Rooney-managed MLS All-Stars 5-0 in sweltering conditions.

Gabriel Jesus’ audacious clipped effort gave the Gunners an early lead that Leandro Trossard added to with a lasered effort from the edge of the box.

Jorginho’s penalty, a fine Gabriel Martinelli finish and Kai Havertz’s first goal in an Arsenal shirt completed the win on a night when new boys Jurrien Timber and Rice made their first appearance for the club.

There was a hearty Arsenal contingent at Audi Field, where director Josh Kroenke received a warm cheer before Rooney, the Manchester United and England great, was jeered.

The Gunners supporters in attendance only had to wait five minutes before celebrating a moment of magic.

The All-Stars appeared to have stopped a dangerous attack, only for Jesus to meet a loose ball with an audacious clipped effort from the edge of the box that curled in off the far post.

Rooney’s side responded with determination but were unable to unlock the visitors, who extended their lead midway through the first half.

Bukayo Saka was sent behind down the right and passed across to Trossard, who cut away from his man and scored a thumping right-footed drive from 22 yards.

Arsenal’s opening goalscorers nearly combined for a third soon after but Jesus could only head Trossard’s deep cross into the side netting.

Impressive Trossard sent a free-kick just wide before an opening period that somehow featured five bookings was called to an end.

Within seconds of the restart a Tim Parker handball gave Arsenal the chance to score a third.

Jorginho scored the resulting spot-kick and the Gunners will be hoping Trossard avoided any major issue after limping off in the 55th minute.

Referee Ted Unkel did not award another Arsenal penalty despite the VAR advising him to review a decision, instead indicating for the visitors to make their planned substitutions.

Timber came on for his first appearance and Rice received the biggest cheer.

Arsenal continued to control proceedings and Martinelli coolly struck home in the 84th minute after being played in by an excellent Martin Odegaard pass.

Havertz completed the one-sided victory when controlling and finishing from close range in the 89th minute.

The 24-year-old admitted a year ago in Qatar that he wanted to play at the highest level and left West Ham in the summer after captaining them to Europa Conference League glory.

Rice moved across London to Arsenal, joining the Gunners for a club-record fee and has hit the ground running with a run of fine performances for Mikel Arteta’s side.

While previous big-money signings have seemingly been weighed down by hefty price tags, Rice has flourished in spite of it.

“When the transfer was going through I was very nervous because of the price tag,” he said.

“It’s natural to think about that. You’re a human being bought for £105m, it doesn’t feel very normal. But that was because of what I’d done at West Ham, what they valued me at.

“When I signed for Arsenal, I just thought I just need to be Declan Rice, be myself, don’t be any different, everything will go smoothly.

“The first three weeks of pre-season were really tough in terms of the change. When you’re at a new job you start to feel really settled after a few weeks.

“That really feels the case now. In terms of the price tag, I don’t really think about it, I just play the games and try to play as well as possible.

“Honestly, I just try to play my football. I don’t let it affect me in any way, shape or form. I just go to training, try to train as well as possible.”

Rice’s England colleague Jack Grealish admitted he found talk of his £100m move to Manchester City “annoying” and that more was expected of him as a result of the big fee.

“It’s £100m, it’s a lot of money, I could understand the pressure that comes with it,” added Rice.

“Not only the pressure you put on yourself but there’s an expectation of being bought for that much money we need to see performances straight away.

“I want to repay the club back straight away, they have invested a lot of money in me, I need to prove why I can go there and change things.

“I can see why Jack struggled maybe at the start – mentally. He was a £100m footballer but as he wasn’t playing as much, it was probably as bit different for him. Now he’s flying and it’s the same for me.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Declan Rice (@declanrice)

Rice insists he always had faith in his ability to step up to the highest level and he has shone particularly brightly on Arsenal’s Champions League nights so far.

“I won the trophy at West Ham, which was another level. It was incredible for me and the club. Now I’ve been playing on Champions League nights and been playing relatively well, but it’s something I always believed I could do,” he said.

“It was just waiting for my chance and my opportunity. Every game that’s coming now, I’m just trying to take it step by step and perform on the biggest stage.

“Speaking honestly, I feel I was playing as well at West Ham in my last season. Even though we didn’t have the best season as a team, I feel like I kicked on again. You never want to stay stale as a footballer.

“You’re always looking to improve, always looking to get better. I still feel there’s so many more levels I can get to. It’s just about being eager to learn, practising on the training pitch, and always listening as well.”

Rice has also called on England to end an unbeaten 2023 with a “bang” by winning their final Euro 2024 qualifier away to North Macedonia on Monday.

England have not suffered defeat since their World Cup quarter-final exit at the hands of France last December and sealed their spot at next summer’s finals with two games to spare.

After a drab 2-0 win over Malta on Friday, Rice is keen for England to put in a better showing to bring the curtain down on a strong calendar year.

“I think especially the other night after Malta there is just a bit of pride in ourselves that we need to raise our level,” the Arsenal midfielder said.

“We need to put out a statement and it would be a good way to end the year. We are currently unbeaten since the World Cup so it is down to us to go out tomorrow night, put on a performance.”

The 30-year-old striker, who has Jamaican parents, announced his decision to change nationalities a few months ago and is expected to join up with the Caribbean team at the end of the EPL season.

The powerful forward was called up by England in 2016 but has never made an appearance for the country.  Despite consternation raised in some quarters, regarding the prospect of England losing the forward, Rice believes the team has plenty of cover and tipped his teammate for success with the Reggae Boyz.

“He’s such a handful. I see it every day in training. He’s so strong. He holds the ball up well. He makes efficient runs in behind. He’s a defender's worst nightmare,” Rice told the UK Dailey Star.

“But look he’s chosen his allegiance with Jamaica now. I’m sure he’s going to have a great time there,” he added.

“We’ve got other strikers that pledged themselves to England that haven’t got in the squad lately who can easily fill the boots of Antonio, so, we’re well prepared with strikers.”

The Hammers star Antonio has seven goals and five assists so far this season, as West Ham are locked in battle for a top-four finish.

England scored nine goals en route to finishing top of Group B but Kane is yet to get off the mark in Qatar.

Kane, who won the Golden Boot in Russia four years ago and is just two behind Wayne Rooney's record haul of 53 Three Lions strikes, has created three of England's goals, becoming the first English player to provide three assists at a World Cup since David Beckham in 2002.

But Rice has full faith Kane will come up with the goods in the knockout stage.

"I don't think we should ever doubt Harry," the midfielder said at a press conference on Thursday. "His goalscoring record speaks for itself, what he's done for England.

"If you're looking, it's two assists now, against Iran for [Raheem] Sterling and the other night for Phil [Foden, against Wales].

"He's adapted his role now, where he likes to drop in a lot more, and link the play. I think that's where it's good, where we have fast runners.

"We're all rooting for him to score. He's our captain, that's what we need. I'm sure he will. He'll score in the knockout stages now."

Rice started his third game in a row at the tournament against Wales on Tuesday, but saw close friend Mason Mount dropped as part of a reshuffle.

The Chelsea playmaker has often come under fire on social media as a perceived favourite for Gareth Southgate, but Rice said Mount's achievements speak for themselves.

"I don't need to talk too much about Mase," Rice said. "You know he is one of the best players I've played with. I think that's why Gareth is so keen on him.

"He's just a team player. His numbers at Chelsea are incredible. He's won the Champions League, won the Super Cup, and for the rest of his career, he can go on and be whatever he wants to be.

"Let [him] go and do his thing. When he's doing that, it makes me happy seeing my good friend go and perform at the best level."

Ivan Schranz's first-half opener seemed to have Slovakia on course for a shock last-16 upset, only for Bellingham to rifle home a remarkable 94th-minute leveller in Gelsenkirchen.

Bellingham's eye-catching overhead kick sent the tie to extra time, in which Harry Kane headed home just 50 seconds into the additional 30 minutes at Arena AufSchalke on Sunday.

England have now won their last four games having conceded first at the European Championship, after losing their first six such matches, and Rice says that battling performance was for the under-fire Southgate.

"I cannot describe the feeling representing England in the European Championship round of 16, you look up at the clock and you think 'we could be going home here'," Rice told BBC Sport.

"Players are saying that to each other with one minute to go and there is that inner fight and spirit in us.

"We have got that togetherness tonight, we would do anything to protect this manager. Keep going and keep fighting, it is an honour to be a part of it – we are going to keep going."

Bellingham's stunning leveller, timed at 94 minutes and 34 seconds, marked England's latest goal at the European Championship.

Arsenal midfielder Rice says that only serves to highlight the bravery of Bellingham, who etched his name into England folklore with what Kane earlier described as one of the country's best goals in history.

"It is crazy because if that was me that was going over the bar," Rice joked.

"It was a big moment for him, at 21 years old that takes a lot of guts. People don't understand what you have to go through to get over the line.

"We are not playing against invisible men. They are top footballers, they kept going after us. It is about waiting for those moments as the game got stretched we created more.

"The fans tonight I cannot speak highly enough of them. So grateful they are all here to experience that."

Rice was part of a confrontation with Slovakia manager Francesco Calzona at full-time, with England in celebratory mood after setting up a last-eight meeting with Switzerland on Saturday in Dusseldorf.

Calzona was left disheartened, too, after feeling his side were equal to Southgate's men.

"We played on par basically with England, we almost qualified," Calzona told reporters. "We were very nearly there, unfortunately things went the way they did.

"I'm very proud to see this team do so well, the other team sending on defenders to preserve their result."

Arsenal have been in the title fight for the last three seasons, but Declan Rice says they now need to get over the line to win the trophy.

England midfielder Rice is a man seemingly in demand, even though suitors will likely have to stump up a minimum of £100million to land him.

With Manchester City and Chelsea also said to be interested, United are aiming to be at the front of the queue for his signature.

TOP STORY – RICE A MAN IN DEMAND

Manchester United are likely to wait until a permanent manager is in place to make their moves in the market, with Ralf Rangnick remaining in charge on a temporary basis until the end of the campaign.

But the Mirror reports that Rice remains high on their list of priorities with United aiming to overhaul their midfield ahead of next season.

Leeds United's Kalvin Phillips and RB Leipzig's Amadou Haidara are apparently also high on United's shortlist of targets.

ROUND-UP

- The Red Devils are set to be busy in the close-season with Barcelona's highly rated centre-back Ronald Araujo on their radar, according to the Mirror. The defender, who is entering the final 18 months of his contract, is thought to be attracting interest from Manchester City too.

- Aston Villa right-back Matty Cash has emerged as a transfer target for LaLiga giants Atletico Madrid, according to Fabrizio Romano. Atleti allowed Kieran Trippier to join Newcastle United in January.

- The Sun reported that Arsenal are set to complete a triple swoop for Everton's Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Alexander Isak of Real Sociedad and Wolves' Ruben Neves in the next transfer window.

- Lille centre-back Sven Botman is still high on Newcastle United's radar despite a deal not being able to be struck during the last window, says the Athletic.

- Victor Osimhen remains a top target for Tottenham, writes Football Insider. Spurs will need to stump up around £60m to land the Napoli striker.