Rice double helps Arsenal rally for win at Bournemouth and take six-point lead in Premier League

Declan Rice proved why he's a leading candidate to be the Premier League's player of the season by inspiring Arsenal to a come-from behind victory at Bournemouth that opened up a six-point lead on Saturday.

The England midfielder scored two second-half goals — with almost identical low, side-footed finishes — in a 3-2 win on the south coast.

Rice was a doubt for the match because of a knee injury that forced him out of the 4-1 win over Aston Villa on Tuesday. He was fit enough to return and was the difference between the teams.

“We are going to need everyone chipping in at different points so happy to help the team,” said Rice, who scored twice in a Premier League game for the first time.

Arsenal fell behind in the 10th minute when Evanilson stroked into an unguarded net after intercepting a woeful pass out from the back by Gabriel Magalhaes.

The Brazil center back made amends by lashing in the equalizer six minutes later, following a mazy run by Noni Madueke, for a second goal in as many starts since returning from six weeks out injured.

After Rice's double, a long-range strike by Bournemouth substitute Eli Junior Kroupi in the 76th minute made for a tense finale but Arsenal held on to record a fifth straight win, keeping Villa and Manchester City at arm's length in the title race.

Villa is the closest challenger to Arsenal after a 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest.

City can return to second place, four points behind Arsenal, by beating Chelsea on Sunday.

Villa rebounded from its first loss in two months — at Arsenal — when captain John McGinn scored twice in the second half, building on England striker Ollie Watkins' long-range opener in first-half stoppage time.

Morgan Gibbs-White reduced the deficit to 2-1 in the 61st minute only for McGinn to restore Villa's two-goal cushion after a poor piece of goalkeeping from Forest's John Victor, who raced out of his area in an attempt to collect a ball over the top. McGinn easily rounded Victor and slotted the ball home from 30 yards (meters).

Victor went off injured immediately after the goal.

Villa's 11-game winning run — which included eight victories in the league — was ended on Tuesday by a 4-1 thumping by Arsenal.

Wolves beat West Ham 3-0 to finally claim a first league win of the campaign and end its historically bad start to a top-flight season.

No team has taken this long to record its first win in a Premier League since the competition’s inception in 1992.

Jhon Arias, Hwang Hee-chan and Mateus Mané scored first-half goals for Wolves, which moved onto six points, still 12 from safety with 18 games remaining.

Wolves manager Rob Edwards said he was torn between feeling “a bit of relief and really pleased.”

“We should enjoy it," he said, "but it’s only one win. That’s all it is.”

Wolves was only six points behind next-to-last Burnley, which lost at Brighton 2-0, and eight off third-to-last West Ham.

West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo said his team's performance was “embarrassing” and the worst in his coaching career.

"I don’t recall one day that I felt so bad in a football pitch,” Nuno said.

Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80

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Arsenal's Declan Rice celebrates after scoring his sides third goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Bournemouth and Arsenal in Bournemouth, England, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Arsenal's Declan Rice celebrates after scoring his sides second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Bournemouth and Arsenal in Bournemouth, England, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Brighton and Hove Albion's Georginio Rutter, left, celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Brighton and Hove Albion and FC Burnley in Brighton and Hove, England, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)

Wolverhampton Wanderers' Hwang Hee-Chan, right, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United in Wolverhampton, England, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (Nigel French/PA via AP)

Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins, right, has a shot saved by Nottingham Forest goalkeeper John Victor during their English Premier League soccer match in Birmingham, England, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (Cody Froggatt/PA via AP)

Aston Villa's John McGinn celebrates scoring their side's second goal during their English Premier League soccer match against Nottingham Forest in Birmingham, England, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (Cody Froggatt/PA via AP)

Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White celebrates after scoring his sides first goal during their English Premier League soccer match against Aston Villa in Birmingham, England, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (Cody Froggatt/PA via AP)

Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins celebrates after scoring his sides first goal during their English Premier League soccer match against Nottingham Forest in Birmingham, England, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (Cody Froggatt/PA via AP) /PA via AP)

Aston Villa's John McGinn celebrates scoring their side's third goal during their English Premier League soccer match in Birmingham, England, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago White Sox traded veteran outfielder Derek Hill to the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday in a swap between contending teams.

The White Sox also sent $250,000 in international bonus pool money to the Phillies for minor league outfielder Dylan Campbell and minor league infielder José Colmenares.

The 30-year-old Hill is batting .213 with four homers, eight RBIs and seven steals in 50 games this season. He was claimed off waivers by the White Sox in September.

Chicago also acquired outfielder Nolan Jones and cash from Cleveland for $250,000 in international bonus pool money. The 28-year-old Jones will report to Triple-A Charlotte.

Philadelphia added to its outfield depth after Adolis García departed Wednesday night's 7-4 victory at Toronto because of a pulled muscle in his right shoulder. García was expected to get some imaging on Thursday.

The Phillies are 28-12 since Don Mattingly took over as interim manager after Rob Thomson was fired in April. They had an off day before beginning a weekend series at NL Central-leading Milwaukee on Friday night.

To make room on Philadelphia's 40-man roster, right-hander Jackson Rutledge was designated for assignment.

Chicago has won four of six and 10 of 15 overall. After dropping at least 101 games in each of the previous three years, the White Sox are on top of the AL Central with a 36-31 record.

White Sox manager Will Venable praised Hill for his contribution to the team on and off the field.

“Really just a situation where we were in a little bit of a roster crunch there,” Venable said. “It speaks to D. Hill and his performance and who he is that there was a lot of interest in him and it also speaks to where our club is at that we are able to or really needed to push a really good player off our roster.”

Chicago also activated outfielder Everson Pereira from the 10-day injured list before its series finale against Atlanta was postponed because of rain and thunderstorms. The 25-year-old Pereira had been sidelined by a right pectoral strain.

“It took a little more time than I was expecting to, but I feel very good right now,” Pereira said through a translator. "I don’t think I have to be concerned about it throughout the season.”

Pereira was in the starting lineup against the Braves before the game was rescheduled, batting fifth and playing center field. Shortstop Colson Montgomery also was back in the lineup after missing two games because of back soreness.

“He’s going to have to manage it his whole career,” Venable said of Montgomery. “With backs, it’s something he’s dealt with in the past. Something he’ll deal with in the future. I don’t think to the degree you are concerned other than the daily maintenance you have to do to keep your body functioning properly.”

Jones had a big year for Colorado in 2023, batting .297 with 20 homers, 62 RBIs and 20 steals in 106 games. But he struggled for much of the past two seasons, hitting a career-low .211 with five homers in 136 games with the Guardians in 2025.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Chicago White Sox's Derek Hill hits a one-run single against the Atlanta Braves during the fourth inning in a baseball game, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks)