When it is November and the injuries are accumulating, Arsene Wenger will bank any win with a sigh of relief.
Here was one of those days. Alexis Sanchez scored one early and another in stoppage-time and Theo Walcott nodded in the vital second after Bournemouth had levelled from a penalty by Callum Wilson.
For Arsenal, it was a most welcome victory after three successive draws and it kept them in stride with the Premier League pace-setters.
At the final whistle, with a two-goal margin, it seemed rather emphatic and yet it came with a reminder of the inherent frailties which may prove costly on other occasions.
Bournemouth were adventurous and creative and, having conceded an early lead in careless fashion fought back and contributed to an attractive spectacle.
If this was any sort of trial for Eddie Howe to one day succeed Wenger before the powers that be at the Emirates Stadium, then it will have gone down well.
The game was wide-open, littered with mistakes, bad tackles, sub-standard refereeing and poor finishing.
Had Lys Mousset made a better connection with a fabulous chance, a header in front of goal in the final minute, seconds before Sanchez scored his second and Arsenal’s third, the visitors may have escaped with a point.
As it was Wenger was satisfied, apart from another injury. This time for Mathieu Debuchy who limped off just 16 minutes into his first Arsenal appearance in more than a year.
Debuchy went down holding his hamstring and was replaced at right-back by Gabriel Paulista.
Carl Jenkinson, having deputised for the injured Hector Bellerin against Manchester United and Paris St Germain was fit and available but not on the bench.
Arsenal were already ahead by this point, gifted the lead by Steve Cook, who passed the ball to Sanchez as he tried to turn it back to his goalkeeper Adam Federici.
Sanchez pounced, took a touch and pushed a low shot under Federici with his right foot.
Bournemouth were behind and Howe must have wondered about his own reshuffle. Without Charlie Daniels or Jack Wilshere, who was unable to play while on loan from Arsenal, Brad Smith made his first Premier League appearance since signing from Liverpool and Nathan Ake, on loan from Chelsea, started in central defence.
Ake, quick and nimble, made a brave block from Mohamed Elneny as Howe’s side were stretched at the back by Arsenal’s fluent movement, collecting two early yellow cards before going behind in the 12th minute.
Sanchez, having opened the scoring, wanted a penalty two minutes later, when he collided with Ake. Replays showed it was a fraction outside the penalty box, but there was contact. Even so, referee Mike Jones played on.
Arsenal’s fury was magnified when Jones pointed to the spot at the other end, penalising Nacho Monreal for blocking a run by Wilson with an arm across the striker’s face.
Wilson and Josh King had caused problems with their pace but this was a soft decision. Jones did not have a good first 45 minutes, missing bad fouls by Laurent Koscielny and Harry Arter and successfully antagonising both sides.
The worst tackle of the game came from Sanchez in the second-half, a lazy sliding hack from behind on Arter, who was fortunate not to suffer injury as his ankle buckled. Jones flashed another yellow card.
Shkodran Mustafi had been booked for dissent after the penalty decision and Monreal was still disputing it with the officials as the teams went off for half-time.
Wilson sent Petr Cech the wrong way from the spot and if Debuchy’s exit had inexplicably knocked their balance, the home team then suffered a temporary loss of composure.
Adam Smith wasted a glorious chance to put Bournemouth ahead, heading over when found unmarked in front of goal by Ake.
Cech then denied Brad Smith at his near-post before Arsenal recovered and finished the first-half on top, pushing hard for a second.
Sanchez rattled the woodwork in stoppage-time and Federici’s goal was soon under pressure when the teams returned and Walcott headed Arsenal back into the lead.
Mesut Ozil’s cross from the right glanced off the head of Ake to Monreal, who turned the ball back across goal to Walcott, who converted a simple header at the back-post for only his second headed goal in the Premier League. The other came at West Ham, on Boxing Day 2013.
A wonderful pass by Granit Xhaka released Sanchez but he was unable to find Ozil in front of goal and Bournemouth continued to believe they might take something from the game.
Arsenal survived another strong penalty appeal when the ball clearly struck Monreal on the hand. Arter was booked for his angry reaction and must have been relieved the referee had not cautioned a late challenge in the first-half.
Cech also produced a fine block to ensure substitute Benik Afobe would not score against his former club. Afobe must have thought it was in when he connected with a corner, flicked on at the near post, but the ‘keeper threw his body across the goal line.
Mousset missed the target with his header and then Olivier Giroud set up Sanchez and Arsenal’s nerves were eased.
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