Hammers and Bowen the bogeymen again as Arteta's insipid Arsenal suffer huge title blow
DICEY RICEY: Arsenal's Declan Rice stands dejected after West Ham United's Jarrod Bowen scored the opening goal during the Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium, London. Pic: Mike Egerton/PA Wire
ARSENAL’S title ambitions suffered a major blow after Jarrod Bowen’s first-half goal ensured West Ham inflicted a first home league defeat of the season on Mikel Arteta’s side, who lost Myles Lewis-Skelly to a controversial red card.
Arteta’s team had hoped to cut Liverpool’s advantage at the top of the Premier League to five points ahead of the leaders’ trip to Manchester City on Sunday. Instead, Arne Slot’s side will have the opportunity to extend their lead at the Etihad Stadium after Arsenal paid the price for their failings in front of goal and their inability to keep eleven men on the pitch.
Lewis-Skelly has already been on the wrong end of a contentious decision this season when he was sent off for a foul on Wolves’s Matt Doherty in January. On this occasion he was dismissed in the 73rd minute after VAR intervened when the left-back had brought down the excellent Mohammed Kudus on the halfway line. Referee Craig Pawson initially showed a yellow card but, with keeper David Raya well out of his goal, upgraded to red after deciding the youngster had denied a goalscoring opportunity following a pitchside review.
The signs that Arsenal would struggle to break West Ham down were there from the opening moments of the game. Arteta’s side quickly settled and began to dominate possession but were unable to make significant inroads against a resolute Hammers defence.
After scoring twice from the bench at Leicester the previous weekend, Mikel Merino was again employed up front but apart from an early half-chance, the makeshift forward had little impact.
Merino was not alone as the Gunners were held at arm’s length during the first half by Graham Potter’s well-drilled side. And the game was played out inside the visitors’ half for long periods, it was telling that the best chances during the opening 45 minutes were created by West Ham who looked at their most dangerous on the counter-attack.
Bowen was guilty of missing a good opportunity when placed a first-time shot wide midway through the first half. That chance came after a strong run from Aaron Wan-Bissaka down the right, and the pair again combined for the opening goal immediately before half-time.
Bowen started the move, collecting the ball inside his own half and playing it was for Wan-Bissaka, who pressed forward unhindered. Bowen, meanwhile, sprinted in support and, not having been tracked, was free to meet Wan-Bissaka’s cross with a diving header that beat keeper David Raya from 12 yards out.
It was a poor goal for Arsenal to concede and only added to the growing tension inside the stadium after a frustrating first half for Arteta’s side.
Arsenal would clearly have to show more invention if they were to get back into the game but opening ten minutes of the second half offered more of the same, prompting Arteta to make changes. But the Arsenal manager’s plans were in disarray when Lewis-Skelly, Calafiori’s replacement, was sent off.
West Ham continued to defend impressively and held on to claim a hard-fought win that will have been welcomed as warmly on Merseyside as it would in East London.
Raya 6; Timber 6, Saliba 6 (White 87, 6), Gabriel 6, Calafiori 5 (Lewis-Skelly 56, 4); Odegaard 7, Partey 6, Rice 5 (Zinchenko 56,6); Nwaneri 5 (Sterling 82, 6), Merino 5, Trossard 6.
Neto, Tierney, Kiwior, Jorginho, Sterling, Butler-Oyedeji
Areola 6; Todibo 6 (Mavropanos 62, 6), Kilman 7, Cresswell 7; Wan-Bissaka 7, Soucek 6, Ward-Prowse 7, Alvarez 7 (Soler 88, 6), Scarles 7; Bowen 8 (Ferguson 82, 6), Kudus 9.
Fabianski, Guilherme, Ings, Rodriguez, Emerson, Ferguson, Irving
Craig Pawson 6
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