West Ham vs Arsenal Review
In a fast-paced first half, Arsenal dominated West Ham at the London Stadium, securing a 5-2 win with goals from five different players. West Ham had shown improvement with seven points from their last three home league games, but their challenge became even more difficult just 10 minutes into the match when Arsenal took the lead. Known for their effectiveness at set pieces, Arsenal scored from a corner as Gabriel Magalhães headed in Bukayo Saka’s delivery, putting West Ham at a disadvantage.
Arsenal continued to control the game, with Saka narrowly missing the far post before linking up with Martin Ødegaard for a brilliant play. Their excellent combination allowed Saka to set up Leandro Trossard for an easy tap-in in the 27th minute. After, Lucas Paquetá brought Saka down in the penalty area, Saka, the usual penalty-taker, let Ødegaard take the penalty, which he converted, sparking a six-minute burst of goals. The match seemed to be decided when Max Kilman failed to intercept, allowing Kai Havertz to score easily.
However, West Ham quickly countered with their first real attack. A brilliant pass from Carlos Soler found Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who scored with a side-footed finish past David Raya, marking his second goal of the week. The visitors, caught off guard, conceded again when Emerson Palmieri scored an unstoppable free-kick that hit the crossbar. There was still time for a seventh goal in the first half when Łukasz Fabiański’s punch hit Gabriel, leading Saka to convert a penalty and restore a three-goal lead for his team.
The thrilling first half was followed by a quieter second half. Mikel Arteta’s team maintained control, keeping West Ham at bay, with Tomáš Souček’s diving header easily handled by Raya in a half lacking in scoring opportunities. A late free-kick from Raheem Sterling was Arsenal’s closest attempt to extend their lead, while substitute Danny Ings, after rounding Raya, missed the target while off-balance shortly after.
After easily defeating Sporting CP in the UEFA Champions League, Arsenal maintained their strong performance with a decisive win that elevates them to second place in the Premier League table, at least for now. On the other hand, Julen Lopetegui, who is under pressure, had to observe from the stands as his team struggled to compete for much of the game, leaving the Hammers in 14th place, six points above the relegation zone.
