Arsenal vs West Ham LIVE: Premier League result and final score as Eddie Nketiah goal completes comeback

Arsenal 3-1 West Ham: The Gunners extended their lead at the top of the Premier League table to seven points after a second-half comeback at the Emirates

Arteta insists potential new Arsenal striker needs to be the right fit

Arsenal moved seven points clear at the top of the Premier League table after goals from Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Eddie Nketiah completed a second-half comeback against West Ham.

The Premier League leaders were missing the injured Gabriel Jesus for the first time this season and trailed at half time after Said Benrahma converted a first-half penalty.

But in the absence of Jesus, Arsenal’s other forwards stepped up when Saka and Martinelli scored in the space of five minutes to flip the Boxing Day fixture on its head, with Nketiah adding a third with a brilliant turn and finish shortly afterwards.

The win was Arsenal’s fourth in a row, moving them seven points clear of Newcastle and eight ahead of Manchester City, and came as former manager Arsene Wenger returned to the club for the first time since his exit in 2018.

Follow all the reaction from the final Premier League outing on Boxing Day below

Arsenal vs West Ham

• FT! Arsenal return from World Cup to move seven points clear at top of the Premier League table
• 69’ GOAL! Nketiah spins Kehrer in the box before firing brilliant finish into the corner (ARS 3-1 WHU)
• 58’ GOAL! Martinelli catches Fabianski out at near post as Arsenal complete rapid turnaround (ARS 2-1 WHU)
• 53’ GOAL! Odegaard’s wayward shot finds Saka who equalises for Arsenal (ARS 1-1 WHU)
• 45+3’ NO PENALTY! Referee Oliver points to the spot but VAR correctly overturns handball decision (ARS 0-1 WHU)
• 27’ GOAL! Benrahma stays cool to put it down the middle as West Ham take the lead (ARS 0-1 WHU)
• 25’ PENALTY WEST HAM! Bowen goes down in the box after Saliba dives in (ARS 0-0 WHU)
• 5’ NO GOAL! Saka strike ruled out for offside after slight touch in build up (ARS 0-0 WHU)

[26 December 2022 18:01 · Michael Jones]

Aston Villa 0-1 Liverpool

26 mins: Douglas Luiz makes a driving run down the inside right and seemingly gets clipped by a Thiago Alcantara tackle. The referee lets play go on and Liverpool get caught trying to play out from the back.

Lucas Digne goes down inside the box after a tackle from Trent Alexander-Arnold but the Reds manage to clear their lines after the penalty shout is waved away.

[26 December 2022 17:58 · Michael Jones]

Aston Villa 0-1 Liverpool

23 mins: Darwin Nunez gets his first proper chance at goal but it’s a tricky one. He drifts into space in the middle of the box and meets a cross from the left with a looping header that goes wide.

[26 December 2022 17:53 · Michael Jones]

Aston Villa 0-1 Liverpool

20 mins: Disallowed goal! Liverpool win a free kick over on the left wing. Trent Alexander-Arnold performs the dummy run before Andy Robertson swings one into the box.

Joel Matip just starts his run too soon and strays offside before meeting the cross and nodding the ball into the far corner. The assistant referee wastes no time in raising the flag.

[26 December 2022 17:51 · Michael Jones]

Aston Villa 0-1 Liverpool

17 mins: Chance! When will Villa take their chance? John McGinn receives the ball in space over on the right side of pitch and whips over a beautiful cross.

Ollie Watkins gets in behind the Liverpool centre-halfs once again and powers a diving header into the deck where the ball bounces up nicely for Alisson to cling onto the ball.

[26 December 2022 17:47 · Michael Jones]

Aston Villa 0-1 Liverpool

14 mins: Chance! It should be 1-1! The ball comes up to Watkins who works it over to the left wing where Buendia chases the ball down and keeps it in play.

He curls a cross into the box but sends it behind Watkins who’s continued his run. Buendia picks out Leon Bailey though who completely fumbles a first time shot and skews the ball wide.

[26 December 2022 17:45 · Michael Jones]

Aston Villa 0-1 Liverpool

11 mins: Mo Salah now has five goals in his five most recent appearances against Aston Villa. Will Liverpool’s talisman add to his tally before the game is done?

The Reds are controlling the tempo of the match. Passing it slowly in midfield before sprinting forward quickly from the wings.

[26 December 2022 17:41 · Michael Jones]

Aston Villa 0-1 Liverpool

8 mins: Save! Ollie Watkins makes another fine run through the lines as John McGinn dinks a chipped pass over the top. Watkins controls the ball and forces a sharp save out of Alisson before the offside flag goes up.

This has been a perfect start for Liverpool despite a couple of good chances for the hosts.

[26 December 2022 17:37 · Michael Jones]

Aston Villa 0-0 Liverpool

4 mins: At the other end of the pitch Andy Robertson brings the ball down the wing before curling a pass into the penalty area. Darwin Nunez arrives but lets the ball run through towards Mo Salah.

Lucas Digne beats him to the ball and sends it behind for a corner shortly after Tyrone Mings and Robin Olsen collide with each other.

The centre-back lands awkwardly on his knee and needs some treatment.

[26 December 2022 17:34 · Michael Jones]

Aston Villa 0-0 Liverpool

3 mins: Chance! Liverpool lose the ball over on their left wing and it gets squirted over to Emiliano Buendia in the middle of the Reds’ final third.

Buendia flicks the ball over the top as Ollie Watkins forces his way in between Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip. The Villa forward shoots and forces a low stop out of Alisson Becker.

[26 December 2022 17:32 · Michael Jones]

Kick off: Aston Villa 0-0 Liverpool

Before kick off there is a round of applause for 1966 World Cup winner George Cowen who passed away earlier this month. The players all take the knee then Aston Vill get the match started at Villa Park.