Relentless Arsenal beat Burnley to stretch Premier League lead
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BURNLEY, England :Clinical Arsenal moved seven points clear at the top of the Premier League with a straightforward 2-0 victory over Burnley at Turf Moor as their mastery of set pieces again proved irresistible on Saturday.
Viktor Gyokeres opened the scoring in the 14th minute from yet another corner routine involving Declan Rice and Gabriel, with the Swede touching in from close range.
Arsenal were in cruise control in the 35th minute, this time from open play, as a sweeping counter-attack ended with Rice thumping a header past Burnley goalkeeper Martin Dubravka.
Burnley did not manage a goal attempt in the first half and, while they offered more of a threat after the break, Arsenal eased to a seventh consecutive clean sheet in all competitions.
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Arsenal have 25 points from 10 games, with Bournemouth, who play on Sunday, second on 18. Burnley are 17th with 10 points.
After agonising near misses in several title pursuits, Arsenal's efficiency at accumulating points is beginning to look a little ominous for those teams standing in their way.
"I think we started the game exceptionally well. The first half was one of the best that we've played," manager Mikel Arteta said.
"Scored two goals, generated another two or three big chances and conceded nothing. That was a platform because in the second half we dropped the standard, especially with the ball and with our intentions to take more risks. But again, defensively, we were exceptional."
Arteta's side have perfected the art of doing enough, even without being especially eye-catching, and that knack was apparent again against Scott Parker's Burnley.
From their opening nine games, only five of Arsenal's 16 Premier League goals came from open play, with nine from set pieces and two from the penalty spot.
Corners have been a particular speciality and that was the case again on Saturday as Arsenal were rewarded for a dominant opening against a timid Burnley.
Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard had already gone close for the visitors when Rice swung over a deep corner and defender Gabriel got on the end of it to turn the ball back across goal for Gyokeres who could not miss.
It was Gyokeres's first league goal since September 13.
Arsenal are no one-trick ponies though and showed that to devastating effect from a rare Burnley attack.
When the visitors regained possession on the edge of their area the ball was played forward quickly to Trossard and his cross was perfect for the unmarked Rice to head home.
Arsenal took their foot off the gas after the break but were never unduly troubled and the closest Burnley came to puncturing their rearguard was with the last kick of the game - Marcus Edwards striking the post with a curling free kick.
The only concern for Arsenal was Gyokeres going off with an injury, as did Martin Zubimendi.
"We'll have to wait and see," Arteta said of both.
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