Arsenal vs West Ham LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction tonight
Follow all the reaction from the Emirates Stadium after the Gunners saw off West Ham
Gabriel Martinelli and Emile Smith Rowe fired Arsenal to a 2-0 victory over West Ham and into the top four of the Premier League.
Brazilian forward Martinelli, profiting from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s enforced absence from the squad with a rare run in the Gunners starting line-up, tucked in his second goal of the season early in the second half.
And substitute Smith Rowe doubled the lead late on after Alexandre Lacazette had missed a penalty.
It was enough to inflict defeat on an increasingly weary-looking West Ham side, whose own charge for a Champions League spot has slowed to a crawl in recent weeks.
To add to their problems they were reduced to 10 men when Vladimir Coufal was sent off for bringing down Lacazette, who saw his subsequent penalty saved by Lukasz Fabianski.
Gabriel Martinelli offers Arsenal immediate remedy to Aubameyang indiscretions and ineffectiveness
For such an undoubted talent, an exciting attacking prospect and an occasionally excellent performer, it’s perhaps a surprise to learn that Gabriel Martinelli’s best haul of Premier League goals for a single season so far is just three.
That tally came in his first campaign in England, the interrupted 2019/20, while between recovery from a knee injury and some very inconsistent form and tactics from his team the following year, he managed only two.
A perfectly struck finish against West Ham United on Wednesday night brought the Brazilian up to the same low-key number for 21/22, his other coming against Newcastle three weeks ago.
Martinelli offers immediate remedy to Aubameyang indiscretions and ineffectiveness
The 20-year-old proved the match-winner after his more senior team-mate was disciplined by the club
Reaction from Martinelli
Gabriel Martinelli spoke to BT Sport after the game and touched on what it felt like to score tonight and how it felt to beat West Ham. He said:
It was a very good game. The win was so important for the team. We know the potential we have. It was a great victory. I am so happy.
“We like to see the fans like that and cheer us on. We knew it was going to be a very difficult game but we have a very good group.
“They were defending well and we were waiting for the moment. Thank you Laca for the assist! I want to play every time.
“We are a team. We are together. It’s up to Mikel [Arteta] and the whole team to decide who will be captain.”
Arsenal into top four as Gabriel Martinelli and Emile Smith Rowe sink Hammers
Gabriel Martinelli and Emile Smith Rowe fired Arsenal to a 2-0 victory over West Ham and into the top four of the Premier League.
Brazilian forward Martinelli, profiting from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s enforced absence from the squad with a rare run in the Gunners starting line-up, tucked in his second goal of the season early in the second half.
And substitute Smith Rowe doubled the lead late on after Alexandre Lacazette had missed a penalty.
Arsenal into top four as Gabriel Martinelli and Emile Smith Rowe sink Hammers
Arsenal 2-0 West Ham United: The Gunners won without Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who has been dropped and stripped of the captaincy
Arsenal 2 - 0 West Ham
Mikel Arteta is cultivating an environment for young players to thrive at Arsenal. Emile Smith Rowe, Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka are all products of that and are rewarding the manager with goals:
Arsenal 2 - 0 West Ham
David Moyes has never won away against Arsenal in the Premier League in 18 attempts (D4 L14), extending the record for the most times a manager has played away at a single club without ever winning in the competition.
Arsenal 2 - 0 West Ham
It’s a brilliant result for Arsenal tonight. Given the backdrop of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s exclusion Mikel Arteta was under pressure to get a result. Arsenal’s youngsters came to play though, Gabriel Martinelli and Emile Smith Rowe both scored to send Arsenal back into the top four.
Full-time: Arsenal 2 - 0 West Ham
90+5 mins: There goes the final whistle. Arsenal beat West Ham at the Emirates stadium to move into the top four for the first time in what seems like an age.
Gabriel Martinelli and Emile Smith Rowe secured the points for the Gunners. It all went wrong in the second half for West Ham, they went behind and then went down to 10-men.
Lukasz Fabianski saved a penalty from Alexandre Lacazette and made at least five other decent saves but couldn’t keep Arsenal out all night.
Arsenal 2 - 0 West Ham
90+3 mins: Arsenal win the ball in the middle of the pitch and carry it towards goal. Granit Xhaka is encouraged to shoot from the Arsenal faithful and obliges them with a shot from range. He leans back on the shot though and smokes it well over the crossbar.
Arsenal 2 - 0 West Ham
90 mins: Five minutes of added time to play at the Emirates. Arsenal should get the job done now.
GOAL! Arsenal 2 - 0 West Ham (Smith Rowe, 87’)⚽️
87 mins: Benrahma gets dispossessed deep in Arsenal’s half and the Gunners fly forward on the overlap. Saka brings in up the pitch and passes it to Emile Smith Rowe - who’s just come on for Arsenal - he carries it into the final third, cuts inside from the right, then threads a shot in between the legs of Diop and guides it into the bottom right-hand corner.
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