Arsenal strengthened their Premier League (PL) title push by beating West Ham United 2-0, inflicting a record 135th top-flight London derby defeat upon the Hammers.
Living up to their status as pre-match favourites, Arsenal created a great early opportunity for Jurrien Timber, whose low drive was beaten away by the legs of Alphonse Areola – and an even bigger opportunity presented itself soon after.
It was little surprise to see three of Arsenal’s big hitters involved, as Bukayo Saka did the heavy lifting in the build up, squirming free of his marker and putting in a tasty delivery which prompted a goalmouth scramble involving Viktor Gyökeres.
When he couldn’t force the ball home, it looked for all the world as though Eberechi Eze would from six yards out, but he incredibly blazed a volley handsomely over the bar.
It didn’t take the Gunners much longer to get the ball in the back of the net, with Saka ghosting in behind the West Ham defence before sliding an effort into the bottom corner, but the assistant referee’s flag cut short his celebrations.
However, Mikel Arteta’s men were incessant with their pressure throughout the first half, and broke the Hammers’ resistance on 38 minutes.
As a former West Ham man, the stage was set for Declan Rice to haunt his former employers, and that he did when he was quickest to react, after Areola could only palm Eze’s effort back into the danger area, sweeping high into the roof of the net to fire Arsenal into a half-time lead.
Arsenal will feel they ought to have taken a two-goal lead into the break when Riccaro Calafiori crashed an effort back off the post with the last kick of the first half, and with a distinct lack of attacking threat on display after half time, they were rueing that the woodwork stopped them from doubling their advantage – indeed, this game had a similar feel to Arsenal’s midweek game against Olympiacos where they endured similar struggles to kill the game off.
It took Saka until added time to add their second in that laborious midweek success over the Greeks, but he gave the Gunners a more comfortable cushion midway through the second half here.
El Hadji Malick Diouf brought down Timber inside the area, and Saka assumed responsibility from 12 yards to stroke home Arsenal’s second and in turn secure his 100th PL goal contribution.
Having to withdraw both Martin Ødegaard and Rice to injury in the game was a major blotch on the day for Arteta, but he’ll nevertheless have been delighted to see his side hold out for the three points, which provisionally move them top of the PL before Liverpool take on Chelsea this evening.
Meanwhile, Nuno Espírito Santo’s wait for his first West Ham win goes on, and although they remain in the bottom three, he’ll be acutely aware that his side’s season won’t be defined in games such as these.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Declan Rice (Arsenal)
