Arsenal 'their own worst enemy' in damaging defeat to West Ham

FRUSTRATED: Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard shows his frustration as another chance goes abegging in the Gunners' 0-2 defeat to London rivals West Ham.

Mikel Arteta can still look down from the top of the Premier League table at the start of 2024 if Arsenal win their next match, at Fulham on New Year’s Eve (Saturday). That's because current leaders Liverpool, who have 42 points, do not play again until 1 January when Newcastle visit Anfield. Whatever they do against Fulham will make up for the manner of this defeat.

The best team lost, but Arsenal, as so often in the past 20 years, were their own worst enemy. Chance after chance went begging as they either tried to walk the ball into the net or suffered from poor finishing and a lack of an out-and-out goalscorer in their squad.