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Arsenal make it two wins from two thanks to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s second-half strike

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Sat 17 Aug 2019 09.48 EDTFirst published on Sat 17 Aug 2019 06.30 EDT
Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang celebrates with teammates after scoring their second goal.
Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang celebrates with teammates after scoring their second goal. Photograph: David Klein/Reuters
Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang celebrates with teammates after scoring their second goal. Photograph: David Klein/Reuters

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And now it’s Sean Dyche’s turn. He thought his team put in a “good performance” and were “excellent particularly in the first half”. He’s “disappointed” that Ben Mee was penalised for handball in the lead-up to Arsenal’s first goal, and also that the hosts were “falling all over the place” throughout the game. Pointing out that diving is only punishable by a yellow card, he argues: “That means players can cheat once per game.” He’s not totally pleased.

Unai Emery is “happy”. It was a “tough match” but he was pleased his team made a connection with the supporters. They “didn’t impose the game plan for 90 minutes”, but did some “good things” nonetheless. His new signings were “very good”.

A statement of intent from today’s match-winner Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang: “It’s good to start like this, with two wins, before we go to Liverpool. We feel confident. We feel stronger with players like David Luiz and Nicolas Pepe. We are sure we can fight for the top four.”

FULL TIME: Arsenal 2-1 Burnley

There’s just enough time for Barnes to be booked, the punishment for tugging back Kolasinac, and that’s that! Arsenal have won their first two Premier League matches of the season for the first time in a decade. Burnley were arguably the better side in the first half; Arsenal were certainly the better side in the second, and deserve the three points. But Burnley made them work and sweat.

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90 min +4: Arsenal struggle to clear this one, too. But they’re let off the hook as Rodriguez attempts an overly ambitious overhead kick. It’s wild and high. And this match is surely over.

90 min +3: Pope’s up for the corner! Some head tennis. Luiz heads over his own crossbar. There’ll be another corner!

90 min +2: Pepe has a chance of releasing Aubameyang. They’re two on one with Tarkowski. But the pass is no good. Lennon breaks up the other end and wins a corner. Before it’s taken, Luiz is booked for a check on Barnes.

90 min +1: There will be four added minutes. Sokratis is booked for cynical skulduggery on the halfway line.

90 min: Willock makes good down the inside right, reaches the byline, and cuts back for Torreira, who lashes a first-time shot towards the bottom right. Pope does very well to parry. A lovely move, and a save to match.

88 min: Lowton makes a nuisance of himself on the edge of the Arsenal box. Torreira looks to shepherd the ball back towards Leno, and is shoved by the Burnley man for his trouble. He goes over and lands heavily on his shoulder, but after a worrying bout of rolling and grimacing, he’s up again, no serious harm done.

86 min: Aubameyang works his way down the right and wins a corner off Mee. Pepe takes. Barnes heads clear. The clock, a long-time Arsenal icon, ticks on.

85 min: Burnley are seeing plenty of the ball in these closing stages. McNeil whips a curler in from the left, but Barnes can’t meet it at the near post. Leno claims.

83 min: Ceballos departs to a standing ovation. He’s been magnificent today. He’s replaced by the equally popular Torreira. A feelgood moment at the Arsenal.

82 min: Lowton crosses from the right. Rodriguez is lurking, waiting to pounce, but Sokratis does extremely well to negate his threat and guide the ball back to his keeper.

80 min: Luiz blocks off Barnes, 35 yards from goal. Westwood wedges the resulting free kick into the area towards Mee, romping in from the left. But Mee can’t quite get a shot away, and Leno claims. The denizens of the Emirates are getting a little nervous now. It’s quiet and tense.

78 min: Pepe diddles Mee in the midfield - a nutmeg on the turn! He races towards the Burnley box. He’s eventually bundled off the ball by Tarkowski, but what skill. This chap is going to light up the Premier League.

76 min: Arsenal manage to escape, Maitland-Niles working his way down the right and rolling a pass infield for Pepe, who suddenly recognises the opportunity of a goal on his home debut. He strides into space near the Burnley box ... but then sends a dribbler into the arms of Pope.

75 min: Westwood sends a free kick into the Arsenal box from the right. Mee wins a header at the far post, but that one goes wide. Goal kick for Arsenal, but the ball’s soon coming straight back at them. Arsenal are struggling to get out of their own half at the minute.

74 min: Lowton crosses from the right. Barnes flicks on, but to nobody in particular. The ball sails out for a goal kick. The home fans are getting a little nervous, though, as the visitors start to ask one or two questions again, for the first time in a while.

72 min: That’s Gudmundsson’s last act of the afternoon. He’s hooked in favour of Aaron Lennon, who gets the full ex-Tottenham reception as he takes to the field. Meanwhile Lacazette is replaced by Kolasinac.

71 min: Lowton hammers a low shot into the Arsenal area from the right. The ball breaks to Gudmundsson, who crosses deep to McNeil, coming in from the left. McNeil wins a header but sends it well over the bar.

68 min: Luiz is forced to concede a corner on the right, hacking out Lowton’s cross. Leno flaps at the corner, but Arsenal clear their lines eventually. Arsenal have been dominant since the restart, but there’s a reminder that this isn’t over quite yet.

67 min: Westwood leans into the influential Ceballos and concedes a free kick out on the left. The set piece comes to nothing, but the 23-year-old Spaniard, on loan from Real Madrid, is making a serious impression here this afternoon.

65 min: Burnley try to come back at Arsenal, but Lowton’s cross from the right floats harmlessly into Leno’s arms.

GOAL! Arsenal 2-1 Burnley (Aubameyang 64)

What a finish by Aubameyang! Ceballos sends him away down the inside left, having won the ball off Gudmundsson. Aubameyang glides in from the wing, drops a shoulder, and fizzes an unstoppable low shot into the bottom left! Pope had absolutely no chance whatsoever.

Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (C) scores. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA
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63 min: Ceballos seems to have more time than everyone else on the pitch. He brings down the ball, almost in slow motion, has a think, and curls a shot towards the top right from the edge of the box. Pope does very well to turn the ball away.

61 min: Now it’s Burnley’s turn to throw on their big new signing. Jay Rodriguez comes on for the quiet Chris Wood. McNeil then crosses from the left, Westwood heading over from six yards. Real chances at both ends!

60 min: Arsenal stroke it around in the passive style ... then suddenly burst into action, Pepe rolling a quick pass down the inside-right and releasing Aubameyang into the area. Aubameyang takes a touch and blasts straight at Pope, who parries well but really shouldn’t have had a chance.

58 min: Corner for Arsenal on the left. Ceballos to take. It’s played short, and worked out to Maitland-Niles, who sends a shot sailing over Highbury & Islington tube. What a waste, having pinned Burnley back.

57 min: Barnes gifts Pepe the ball on the halfway line. Pepe tears down the inside right and tries to release Lacazette. Tarkowski makes sure the door stays shut, but this is much better from Arsenal, who have enjoyed 94% possession since the restart!

55 min: Pepe spins elegantly down the right, sashaying infield and thinking about a shot. He lays off instead to Ceballos, whose effort is blocked. The crowd are already warming to Pepe. Glimpses of his talent already.

53 min: Burnley probe for the first time since the restart, a few neat triangles down the left that result in McNeil lifting a speculative long-range effort well over the bar.

51 min: Ceballos and Monreal combine down the inside-left channel and tee up Aubameyang, who fires towards the top right from distance. His diagonal shot is a little too high, but Pope was worried about that one.

50 min: Pepe isn’t letting things drop, though, and cranks it up again by combining with Aubameyang down the left. It’s a determined run that leads to nothing, but gets the crowd going again. On the touchline, Emery waves his arms in the agitated fashion. He wants some high-tempo play, immediately if not sooner.

Arsenal’s Nicolas Pepe on the ball. Photograph: David Klein/Reuters
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49 min: And so Burnley take their sweet time over a throw, irritating the crowd immensely. Unai Emery also seems reasonably unhappy about it, and gives the linesman a piece of his mind. There goes that half-time surge!

47 min: The corner’s played short, then worked to Maitland-Niles to the left of the D. Maitland-Niles dribbles down the left and floats a cross into the middle ... and over the crossbar. Harmless. But the home side have clearly had a talking-to. Immediate signs that they’re planning to step up the pace.

Arsenal get the second half underway. And on comes their record signing Nicolas Pepe, who replaces Reiss Nelson. He’s immediately into the action, part of a move which results in Monreal winning a corner out on the left.

HALF TIME: Arsenal 1-1 Burnley

A couple of boos as the teams leave the field. Burnley gave as good as they got during the first half. They’re deservedly level, having asked Arsenal’s defence a few questions. This is poised deliciously for the second half. Please go nowhere!

45 min +1: And now VAR chalks off an Arsenal goal. Aubameyang slips a pass down the left to release Monreal, who pulls one back towards Nelson at the near post. Nelson flashes a fine finish into the top left. But Monreal’s toenails were offside.

A goal scored by Reiss Nelson of Arsenal is checked and later disallowed by VAR. Photograph: Michael Regan/Getty Images
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GOAL! Arsenal 1-1 Burnley (Barnes 43)

Lacazette, on the edge of the Burnley box, considers shooting. He doesn’t get a shot away. Burnley clear and tear up the other end. Wood works his way down the left, then lays off to McNeil, who sends a low diagonal pass towards Barnes on the penalty spot. He’s totally unmarked, and after sorting his feet out, pokes the ball into the bottom left, despite pressure eventually arriving from Luiz, at his back.

Ashley Barnes of Burnley scores. Photograph: Julian Finney/Getty Images
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41 min: A little space and time for Guendouzi, just to the right of the Burnley D. He considers his options before shooting low and hard towards the bottom right. Pope does well to extend a leg, diverting the ball out for a corner.

40 min: Guendouzi strides upfield and sends a pass wide left for Monreal, who crosses first time at great speed. It’s plucked out of the sky by Pope.

38 min: Burnley take a quick free kick, but Aubameyang hasn’t retreated ten yards, and is booked as a result. When the set piece is eventually taken - hoicked into the box, naturally - Barnes sends a weak header into the arms of Leno. Easy for the keeper. Barnes should have done much better.

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