Arsenal show mettle to mark Wenger return in style
Arsenal's Eddie Nketiah celebrates scoring their side's third goal of the game during the Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium, London. Picture date: Monday December 26, 2022.
MIKEL ARTÉTA guided Arsenal to a memorable comeback win to increase their lead over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table only for the supporters to shout 'there's only one Arsene Wenger!'
This was no routine Monday night win as the country's form team before the World Cup got straight back to winning ways on the occasion of Wenger's surprise first return to see Arsenal play since he was sacked in 2018.
The crowd were unaware their former manager was among them until an image of him celebrating Arsenal's second goal flashed up on a big screen.
And they responded with the respect the Frenchman feared he had lost after his 22-year relationship with the club was increasingly becoming an unrequited love from sections of the media and divided fan base.
The Wenger fist-pump and applause was a response to Gabriel Martinelli's driven 59th minute strike, six minutes after an equally impressive Bukayo Saka goal wiped out Said Benrahma's first-half penalty. Eddie Nketiah scored a superb third with 21 minutes to go and Wenger could relax in the knowledge his long-awaited return would not come with a curse.
It made for a proper festive party atmosphere – at least for the Arsenal fans – after a long spell when it seemed life without injured Brazil striker Gabriel Jesus would be severely challenging.
With 40 points on the table after only 15 matches they can play on knowing a title challenge is really on and a relegation battle is one for West Ham to worry about.
Arsenal dominated and should have been in front early on. They had been lulled into a false sense of security, however, and William Saliba conceded a 27th-minute penalty with a desperate lunging challenge on Jarrod Bowen.
The France defender, the last Arsenal to player to return from the World Cup, did not quite bring down the West Ham forward but the VAR decided referee Michael Oliver had not made a clear and obvious error.
Up stepped Algeria international forward Benrahma and he drilled the spot kick straight down the middle of Aaron Ramsey's net.
A noisy Emirates stadium fell silent bar the section of West Ham fans packed into one small section at the other end of the pitch.
The Arsenal supporters seemed as stunned as their players as they struggled to respond with any conviction to going behind.
The possibly over-sated Stephen's Day crowd were feeling the pace of an unseasonal 8pm kick-off too and only found their voice again when Oliver awarded a penalty against West Ham for an Aaron Cresswell handball just before half-time.
This time the man with the whistle was persuaded to review his decision. He rightly overruled himself after seeing the ball had struck the West Ham defender's head. Once again the West Ham faithful let it be known they were enjoying their short trip over from East London.
Arsenal regained their vigour after the break only after Ramsdale made a superb stop from Michail Antonio straight after the restart.
They were level on 53 minutes when a seemingly mis-hit Martin Odegaard shot found Saka, who controlled, turned and slotted low past Fabianski.
The Arsenal players and supporters were emboldened now and Martinelli got his neat finish after a trademark Wenger passing move, though former Arsenal goalkeeper Lukasz Fabiański will be unhappy to be beaten at his near post.
The much-maligned Nketiah, who will lead the line in the absence of Jesus, then scored the goal of the night with a special low right foot shot after an even better turn to free himself of the West Ham defence.
It was an Arsenal, Wenger and Arteta love-in from then on until the final whistle.
Arsenal last won the title when Wenger was in charge as Invincibles in 2004. They last won it when they topped the table at Christmas back in 1948.
Now it is up to Manchester City to respond when they go to Leeds United on Wednesday night.
Ramsdale 6, White 7, Saliba 6, Gabriel 7, Tierney 6 (Zinchenko 73), Partey 7, Odegaard 8, Xhaka 6, Saka 8, Nketiah 6, Martinelli 7 (Vieira 88).
Turner, Holding, Soares, Lokonga, Elneny, Marquinhos, Zinchenko ,Cozier-Duberry
Fabianski 6, Coufal 5, Kehrer 5, Dawson 6, Cresswell 6, Rice 7, Soucek 5 (Fornals 78), Benrahma 6, Paqueta 6, Bowen 6, Antonio 7 (Mubama 87).
Areola, Johnson, Fornals, Lanzini, Downes, Ogbonna, Coventry, Emerson
Michael Oliver 6
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