Gunners Kill Unbeaten Home Run

West Ham United suffered back-to-back defeats for the first time since January on Sunday afternoon, as Arsenal won 1-0 in Stratford to close the gap on Manchester City and pile on the pressure for the Hammers in the relegation zone.

Nuno Espírito Santo made changes to his starting line-up for the first time in a month. The Head-Coach handed rare starts to both Jean-Clair Todibo and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, as the pair replaced Kyle Walker-Peters and Pablo Felipe.

Freddie Potts regained his place in the matchday squad ahead of Venezuelan youngster Keiber Lamadrid, while Konstantinos Mavropanos and Declan Rice featured against their former clubs.

As expected, the Gunners started the encounter on the front-foot but to be fair to the hosts, once they found their rhythm, the game turned into a proper London derby.

West Ham’s former captain was involved in the first real chance for the visitors when he took the early corner which was won by Riccardo Calafiori. He then sent the set-piece into the area where the ball was headed on by Leandro Trossard but fortunately for the home faithful, goalkeeper Mads Hermansen made a crucial save. Seconds later, the former Brighton and Hove Albion player tried again but he hit the bar on this occasion.

Mikel Arteta’s men went close once more, but the hosts were able to breathe again as Calafiori’s powerful shot went inches wide.

Although they hadn’t had much chance to make an impression on the game, the Irons held their shape as the visitors continued to dominate. With twenty two minutes gone, Rice delivered a free-kick into a dangerous area and it was again met by Calafiori. He seemed odds on to finally put his team in front but fortunately, Mavropanos came to his team’s rescue and blocked on the line.

The league leaders had shown just why they were on the verge of winning their first title in twenty two years in the opening stages but a crunching tackle by Crysencio Summerville on Ben White was the spark that the hosts needed and it certainly raised the atmosphere in the stadium too!!! The former Brighton and Hove Albion defender was clearly injured and although he was able to continue for another five minutes, the change was then made and Martin Zubimendi came on in his place.

Summerville was really in the mood by this point and went for goal, but his right-footed attempt was just wide.

The home side could have snatched a deserved advantage going into the break when good linkup play between captain Jarrod Bowen and Wan-Bissaka set up Valentín Castellanos, who tried to beat visiting goalkeeper David Raya with a spectacular diving header but the former Blackburn Rovers and Brentford stopper was equal to it, meaning when referee Christopher Kavanagh blew the whistle for half-time, the game remained goalless.

It was a much more open game at the start of the second-half with several opportunities being created through Bowen and Bukayo Saka but still neither team were able to edge ahead.

Both Espírito Santo and Arteta made alterations with just over twenty minutes left to play as the Portuguese introduced Felipe for Castellanos, while it appeared that Zubimendi had a problem, so Arteta swiftly replaced him with Kai Havertz.

Rice took responsibility for another set-piece that went Arsenal’s way minutes later. It was again sent towards goal but fortunately, Mavropanos was alert to the danger and managed to halt Trossard’s progress.

The earlier chance from Castellanos was one that the Irons should have taken but the chance that fell the way of Mateus Fernandes on seventy eight minutes was an even better one. The midfielder picked up the loose ball and ran into the area after Felipe had set him on his way. He then rode the challenge of William Saliba and only had Raya to beat but the Spaniard produced another great save to thwart him.

The young Portuguese may have regretted taking an extra touch as just five minutes later, the visitors broke the deadlock.

Arteta had earlier sent on regular captain Martin Ødegaard in place of Eberechi Eze and the Norwegian was obviously the man they needed to make a difference, as he played the ball to Trossard and it took a deflection off Tomáš Souček on its way past Hermansen.

With five minutes of normal time remaining, the Hammers’ Head-Coach changed his formation and sent Callum Wilson into the fray for Axel Disasi.

A large amount of stoppage time was added and just as it looked as though the Gunners would be collecting another three points a corner was awarded to the hosts. Bowen sent it in and Raya didn’t claim convincingly. Wilson got the final touch, as he smashed the ball into the net.

As you can imagine, there was jubilation but the dreaded “checking goal” message was displayed on the big screens as VAR spotted a foul by Felipe on Raya. However, the evidence was inconclusive so Kavanagh was asked to review his original decision on the pitchside monitor. After a lengthy check, the usual happened and the East Londoners were denied a share of the spoils and need a favour from Leeds United as they go to The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium tonight to ensure the gap doesn’t get any bigger before Espirito Santo’s men are back in action at Newcastle on Sunday evening.