Ten-man Arsenal’s title tilt in tatters as West Ham claim victory
Jarrod Bowen scored the only goal of the game on the stroke of half-time.
Ten-man Arsenal’s Premier League title bid was dealt a major blow after they suffered a torrid 1-0 defeat against West Ham at the Emirates.
Jarrod Bowen scored what would prove to be the only goal of the game on the stroke of half-time before Gunners substitute Myles Lewis-Skelly was sent off with 18 minutes remaining.
Even prior to Lewis-Skelly’s dismissal – upgraded from a yellow card following a VAR intervention after the teenager denied Mohammed Kudus a clear scoring opportunity – Arsenal’s failure to sign a striker during last month’s transfer window had been brutally exposed.
Makeshift forward Mikel Merino was tasked with leading the line, but the Gunners managed only two shots on target on a chastening afternoon for Mikel Arteta and his players.
The defeat, Arsenal’s first in the league in four months, leaves them eight points adrift of Liverpool, who face Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
Following his match-winning cameo at Leicester last weekend, Arteta turned to Merino from the start. Raheem Sterling, who has started just four league games since his loan arrival from Chelsea, was dropped to the bench.
But Arsenal, without Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus – who are both out for the season – and first-choice wingers Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli also on the treatment table, lacked any threat.
For much of the first half it was the visitors who looked more likely to score, with Bowen scuffing a shot wide following a fine run and pass by Aaron Wan-Bissaka, before Tomas Soucek headed Kudus’ cross over.
The warning signs were there for Arsenal and as they continued to fail to muster anything of note, the Hammers landed their breakthrough.
The visitors nicked the ball on the edge of Arsenal’s penalty area, with Bowen playing in the impressive Wan-Bissaka on West Ham’s right-hand side.
Riccardo Calafiori did not do enough to close down his opponent and Wan-Bissaka’s pinpoint delivery was met by an unmarked Bowen who headed home.
Arteta will have been furious at the ease with which West Ham were allowed to break, and the Spaniard will have demanded a major improvement after the interval.
However, the hour mark arrived and Calafiori’s long-range effort down the throat of Alphonse Areola in the opening period remained Arsenal’s sole effort on goal.
Lewis-Skelly and Oleksandr Zinchenko were introduced with former West Ham midfielder Declan Rice, much to the delight of the visiting supporters, and Calafiori making way.
Leandro Trossard forced Areola into action as he saved the Belgian’s low drive. But despite dominating possession, Arsenal never looked like scoring.
And their afternoon was dealt a hammer blow in the 72nd minute when Lewis-Skelly hauled down Kudus on the halfway line. Referee Craig Pawson reached for a yellow card but a VAR check followed, and, after he was advised to check his pitchside monitor, Pawson upgraded the booking to a red.
Lewis-Skelly’s dismissal at Wolves last month was rightly upheld, but here he could have no complaints. Goalkeeper David Raya was well off his line and Lewis-Skelly had denied Kudus a clear scoring opportunity.
Sterling was handed 10 minutes to save both his and Arsenal’s season, but his free-kick on the edge of the area cannoned into the West Ham wall before Gabriel scooped his effort over.
Trossard fired over the crossbar in the 90th minute. Eight minutes of stoppage time followed but West Ham saw out the win – only their second of the year so far – as the home fans headed to the exit wondering whether this was the afternoon that their title quest unravelled.
