West Ham vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction as Gabriel earns vital win
The Brazilian defender earned the win at the London Stadium after Jarrod Bowen cancelled out Rob Holding’s opener
Arsenal tightened their grip on fourth place in the Premier League after goals from centre-backs Rob Holding and Gabriel delivered a 2-1 victory over West Ham at the London Stadium.
The Gunners struck from corners in each half to secure a crucial three points in their race for Champions League qualification and for the time being hold off closest rivals Tottenham, who overcame Leicester 3-1 earlier in the day.
Bukayo Saka was an influential figure throughout and Arsenal would have won more comfortably had Eddie Nketiah not been so wasteful, but West Ham were magnificent given their Europa League semi-final commitments and shortage of defenders.
Star forward Michail Antonio only appeared as a second-half substitute after Thursday night’s 2-1 defeat by Eintracht Frankfurt and Declan Rice started even though the away leg is only four days away.
West Ham’s biggest problems were in defence, however, where injury and suspension left Kurt Zouma as the only fit centre-back and at times even he appeared to still be hampered by his recent ankle injury.
But they emptied the tanks and took the game to their London rivals for long spells, looking the stronger side and equalising through Jarrod Bowen before eventually falling to a defeat that mathematicaly ends their own designs on fourth place.
For all the demands of their European campaign, West Ham started brightly and Aaron Ramsdale needed to act decisively to deal with an inswinging corner by Bowen.
Saka was determined to make something happen for Arsenal during a promising attack that eventually came to a halt.
West Ham were on top but there were few thrills at either end and when Holding inexplicably passed the ball into touch it summed up a lifeless opening spell.
When action did occasionally break out it took place at Arsenal’s end and in the 30th minute it needed a determined block from Holding to deny Manuel Lanzini from close range after Vladimir Coufal’s pass had deflected off Nuno Tavares.
Rice shot straight into the arms of Ramsdale but soon after it became the Gunners’ turn to threaten, with Nketiah the catalyst as they crept ahead against the run of play.
Nketiah threaded his way into the box to force a save from Lukasz Fabianski and from the ensuing corner Saka found Holding, who nodded home his first Premier League goal.
Rice was at the heart of West Ham’s response that meant they entered half-time all square as he forced a smart save from Ramsdale before launching the move that led to their equaliser.
A long pass into the box found Coufal and the Czech defender controlled the ball brilliantly before picking out Bowen, whose shot deflected off Gabriel and into the net.
The second half started at a frantic pace as Bowen was shown a yellow card for simulation as he avoided Ramsdale’s lunge, amid a breathless spell for West Ham that ended abruptly when Arsenal added a second.
Once again they pounced from a corner as the ball found Gabriel Martinelli, who crossed to his unmarked namesake and fellow Brazilian for a diving header that beat Fabianski at the far post.
A flare hurled from the away fans’ section was cleared off the pitch and play resumed with Nketiah failing to make the most of a strong chance as Arsenal broke incisively.
Nketiah’s wasteful afternoon continued as he sent his best opportunity yet wide of the right post, but the visitors had already done enough for the win in spite of West Ham’s late endeavour.
Everton 0-0 Chelsea
45+1 mins: Mount tries to slide Havertz in on the break. It doesn’t reach him but Mount was caught late by Delph and Chelsea have a free-kick.
YELLOW! Delph goes in the book for that tackle.
Everton 0-0 Chelsea
45 mins: Mykolenko wins a throw for Everton deep inside the Chelsea half. A second throw falls for Doucoure who tries his luck from the edge of the area but Silva is in the way.
A minimum of two minutes of stoppage time will be played.
Everton 0-0 Chelsea
44 mins: That was better from Chelsea. Loftus-Cheek links up with Mount in the midfield before charging to the edge of the box. He slides it to Werner who tries his luck but Coleman is across to block.
Alonso then has a pop at goal but another Everton body is in the way.
Everton 0-0 Chelsea
43 mins: Only one shot on target so far in this game and that has gone to Everton. For all of Chelsea’s possession, they have been limited to very little in front of goal.
Richarlison works his way into the box but his cross goes behind for a goal kick.
Everton 0-0 Chelsea
42 mins: James tries to slide a ball into Havertz but Holgate is across to smash it into the stands.
Chelsea then build again and Havertz tries to award himself a free-kick by falling on the ball and grabbing it with his hands. Kevin Friend having none of it. Free-kick goes Everton’s way.
Everton 0-0 Chelsea
40 mins: Such an intense atmosphere at Goodison Park as Richarlison hunts down the ball in the corner and gets there ahead of Rudiger. He then loses out though as Chelsea come forward.
You cannot fault the energy from Everton’s players. Whether it is headless running around or educated pressure is another matter altogether.
Everton 0-0 Chelsea
38 mins: YELLOWS!
HANDBAGS! Mount brings Mina down and then pushes him over. He goes in the book for his troubles. Azpilicueta then furiously goes head-to-head with Coleman as the two captains aggressively but heads.
Coleman and Azpilicueta also go in the book. Three cautions in the space of 60 seconds.
Everton 0-0 Chelsea
36 mins: Werner strays offside as Chelsea’s build-up play comes to an abrupt end. Pickford goes long with the free-kick and Everton are able to pin the visitors back into their own half.
Frank Lampard will take a goalless first half. Even though they have had very little of the ball, they have been able to restrict Chelsea to very few opportunities.
Everton 0-0 Chelsea
34 mins: Richarlison’s pass through to Doucoure is a poor one but Rudiger gets his feet in a mess and the Everton man gets to it. He pulls it back into the middle, only for Silva to hack it clear.
Gordon then charges forward and tries his luck from range but the ball is always drifting a couple of yards wide. Not a bad effort from the young Englishman though.
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