Did a burst ball cost record-signing Alexandre Lacazette the chance to score for Arsenal?
DID a burst ball cost Alexandre Lacazette his first chance to put Arsenal 2-0 ahead against Bournemouth.
The Gunners' record £46million signing did score soon afterwards - but only after he was denied by a particularly strange incident.
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Lacazette looked to be on the money when Bournemouth keeper Asmir Begovic spilled a Danny Welbeck shot and let the ball run out to the Frenchman.
Naturally, the striker seized upon the chance and fired for goal - only to see ex-Chelsea man Begovic recover to make a diving save.
But as the Bosnian No 1 gathered the ball it had obviously burst.
The Bournemouth man held up the crumpled object as Lacazette cursed his luck.
On reflection, the ball appeared to slow after Welbeck's effort, giving rise to the suggestion that it had already 'popped' before it reached Lacazette.
Whatever, you could easily argue it cost the Arsenal new boy a goal - even if he did have the rest of the goal to shoot at with Begovic virtually stranded!
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Anyway, Lacazette ended up making Arsenal history.
His did find the net after 27 minutes to make it 2-0 following Welbeck's sixth minute opener.
Lacazette fired home a beautiful strike from the edge of the box.
It meant he had scored in his first two home Premier League outings for Arsenal, matching an achievement accomplished only once before - by Marouane Chamakh.
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It seems Lacazette has offered an immediate return on the Gunners' summer investment, given he also netted 94 seconds into his English top-flight debut against Leicester.
Welbeck, meanwhile, scored a second to make it 3-0.
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