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.
Arsenal 0 - 0 West Ham
36 mins: It’s West Ham’s turn now to have time on the ball. They string together a number of passes before Dawson puts it out of play with an ambitious pass down the right wing.
The Hammers win it back quickly though and a cross from the right comes to Lanzini in the box. He chooses not to shoot and instead slides a pass to Masuaku arriving on the left side of the box. He meets the ball and takes a first time shot at goal but spanks it over the crossbar.
Arsenal 0 - 0 West Ham
33 mins: Soucek brings the ball down the right wing for West Ham. Lacazette sprints back and dangles a leg in front of Soucek. He withdraws his foot before making contact but Soucek goes down and wins a free kick. The set piece is swung into the Arsenal box where Ben White heads the ball out to Fornals. He rolls the ball onto his right foot and curls an effort wide of the back post!
Arsenal 0 - 0 West Ham
30 mins: The Gunners’ penalty shout is turned dwon by the referee and VAR doesn’t see any reason to overturn the decision. Arsenal have turned up the heat here though. West Ham are firmly on the back foot as Saka and Tomiyasu combine on the right. Tomiyasu slides a short pass into the box but Saka can’t stop it running out of play.
Arsenal 0 - 0 West Ham
27 mins: Saka takes on Masuaku and shimmies past him only to be met by a back-tracking Lanzini. He slots the ball back to Takehiro Tomiyasu who flicks a cross into the box. Lacazette brings it under control and takes it wide before slotting a pass into the box for Odegaard. A one touch pass plays in Martinelli but he’s tackled. The loose ball comes back to Lacazette who attempts to shoot but it met with a lunging Dawson. He goes down and Arsenal want a penalty.
Arsenal 0 - 0 West Ham
24 mins: Slick one-touch play from Arsenal to work the ball up the pitch. The ball is switched over to Saka on the right side and he brings the ball under control before darting inside. He curls a cross over to Lacazette on the opposite side of the box and his header back into the middle is cleared by Tomas Soucek.
Arsenal 0 - 0 West Ham
21 mins: Gabriel Martinelli wins the ball off Vladimir Coufal in the middle of the pitch and passes it back to Thomas Partey. Michail Antonio is on top of him quickly and the two players come together. There’s a little tussle as both players try to take control of the ball and Partey’s elbow strikes Antonio on the back of the head. The West Ham forward goes to ground but he’s fine.
Arsenal 0 - 0 West Ham
18 mins: Jarrod Bowen swings a corner into the box for West Ham and attempts to pick out Michail Antonio in the six-yard box. Aaron Ramsdale comes to claim the ball but can’t get around the West Ham forward. Ramsdale drops the ball and wants a free kick but Anthony Taylor lets play go on much to Mikel Arteta’s annoyance.
Arsenal 0 - 0 West Ham
15 mins: Rice covers the box again for West Ham and heads an Arsenal corner clear this time before encouraging his teammates to calm things down a little. It’s been a frantic few minutes for the visitors as Arsenal have threatened their 18-yard box.
Arsenal’s high press is working well. Issa Diop and Arthur Masuaku in particular are struggling to play through it, instead both defenders are choosing to boot the ball long which inevitably gives the ball back to the home side.
Arsenal 0 - 0 West Ham
12 mins: Vladimir Coufal gets the first yellow card of the match for a swinging arm to Kieran Tierney’s face. The Arsenal left-back bombs forward on the left side and looks to drive around the West Ham defender into the box but takes the arm to the face. Martin Odegaard fires a flat free kick into the penalty area but Declan Rice is there to head it clear.
Arsenal 0 - 0 West Ham
9 mins: Down in West Ham’s final third Granit Xhaka plays a pass up to Alexandre Lacazette who carries it towards goal. Declan Rice gets back and clips Arsenal’s captain bringing him down outside the penalty area. Xhaka takes the free kick and blasts his effort straight into the West Ham wall.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments