Arsenal 3-2 Bournemouth: Gunners seal dramatic comeback through Reiss Nelson’s 97th minute winner

The first nine seconds were historic, the last nine euphoric.

With 96 minutes, 57 seconds on the clock, Reiss Nelson’s half-volley hit the net and everything came out – legs were empty, lungs were empty and Arsenal’s bench was too, all sprinting to the pile-on that had formed on top of the hero of the hour.

For once Mikel Arteta was not the only Arsenal staff member out of his technical area as the moment swallowed up all those in red and white. Some fell where they stood, others tore off towards the North Bank celebrations, William Saliba gave a corner flag a wallop and Nelson wheeled away laughing, the Hale End kid living out his dream.

‘It was amazing,’ he said, having come off the bench for his first appearance since November after injury hell. ‘I’ve been here all my life. Arsenal means a lot to me.’

How was this for title credentials, for mentality, for undying belief. Arsenal had gone 1-0 down after 9.11 seconds, fallen further behind on the hour and still found time – just – to restore their five-point lead at the top of the Premier League.

The stunning comeback win means Mikel Arteta’s Gunners keep hold of their five-point lead at the top of the league table

Philip Billing’s goal for Bournemouth after 9.11 seconds was the second-fastest goal in Premier League history

Billing’s early goal shellshocked the fans at the Emirates, and it took the whole match for the Cherries to be finally undone

It is four times now since the World Cup break that they have trailed in a match and come back to win. Three of those at the death, against Manchester United, Aston Villa and here yesterday. It is a team that never says die, that never lets up and with each passing week demonstrates a little more they have what it takes to be champions.

‘The team showed a different level of willingness to win, determination and initiative,’ said Arteta. ‘When the game gets ugly you can lose momentum, you can start to hide and the players didn’t do that. They wanted the game, every time they took the ball they took risks and kept going. It was great to see.’

How early is too early to go in front? And is 2-0 a dangerous lead? Bournemouth left with the answers to both questions.

‘I’m bitterly disappointed, as are the players,’ said manager Gary O’Neil. ‘Most teams that come here get dispatched quite easily but we didn’t. I’m gutted for the players, the lads are very down. To put in that much work and come up five seconds short is a big blow.’

Marcos Senesi put the Cherries two goals to the good just before the hour mark, as they looked to spring a shock at Arsenal

Arsenal’s Thomas Partey pulled one back for the Gunners in the 62nd minute, as they sought to fight their way back from 0-2

Arsenal’s famous old clock still read 3pm when Philip Billing scored the second-fastest goal in Premier League history, slower only than Shane Long for Southampton at Watford in 2019.

Arteta had made three changes to his team, naming the first Arsenal lineup without a player that played under Arsene Wenger for 37 years. But while that closed the book on Wenger’s era, the opening nine seconds were a throwback to the defending of his final chapters.

Straight from kick-off, Dango Ouattara burst clear down the right before hitting a low cross towards the penalty spot. Gabriel stuck out his right foot, the ball squirted underneath it and dribbled into the path of Billing, who tapped in from six yards.

Instantly the Emirates crowd responded with a roar, but the shellshock was evident. A rapid reply led by Martin Odegaard saw his shot from the edge of the area saved by Neto, before Bukayo Saka hit the goalkeeper in the face on the rebound.

Ben White’s 70th minute equaliser gave the Gunners hope, as dropped points would have damaged their title ambitions

Bournemouth dropped into base camp for the rest of the match. Crammed like sardines in their own penalty area were 11 black shirts, and only three were given clearance for exit.

That was almost all they needed on 20 minutes, as Arsenal had pushed so high with Oleksandr Zinchenko in his usual inverted midfield role and Takehiro Tomiyasu overlapping Saka that the visitors even created a mismatch.

The excellent Billing strode onto a long clearance with Dom Solanke and Ouattara for company, and with only Arsenal’s centre backs to beat he slid it to the Burkina Faso winger, who saw his shot brilliantly smothered by Aaron Ramsdale.

Down the other end the latest Arsenal shot was never far away, but Bournemouth’s deep block meant Odegaard, Fabio Vieira and Emile Smith Rowe – on for the injured Leandro Trossard – were limited to efforts from distance.

Arsenal had two penalty shouts, but neither met VAR John Brooks’ threshold to be given. The first came when Chris Mepham went up for a header and came down with the ball resting on his arm, but was deemed to be in a natural position, and the second when Tomiyasu and Senesi collided, but the visiting centre back just made contact with the ball.

Arsenal had had 85 per cent possession in the first half but nothing to show for it. And just short of the hour, Bournemouth went further out of sight.

Joe Rothwell swung a corner from the left, Senesi got away from Partey and powered in a brilliant header. This time the Emirates was silent – but only for five minutes.

The Gunners firmly enjoyed the dramatic late finish to the game, which secured three points when everything felt lost

Neto punched clear a corner only as far as Emile Smith Rowe, who headed it back into the six-yard box and Partey slammed in. Neto claimed he was fouled in the build-up, but referee Chris Kavanagh took no notice and booked him for his protests.

And his misery was compounded with 20 minutes to play when Nelson, on for Smith Rowe, crossed from the left and found Ben White, who volleyed goalwards. The right back’s first goal for the club was confirmed by goalline technology and the referee’s watch.

Stream after stream of Arsenal attacks then rained down on Neto’s goal, though the Bournemouth player whose hand made the most telling intervention was Billing, perhaps lucky to get away without a penalty when he blocked Gabriel’s header.

Time had been the story all day and with the minimum six minutes added on having been played, Martin Odegaard swung in a corner. Out it came to Nelson, who chested the ball down, drove it towards goal and proved it is not how you start but how you finish.