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.
West Ham 1-2 Arsenal
75 mins: The atmosphere is definitely playing a part in this game feeling somewhat bereft of energy. It’s very quiet inside the London Stadium, aside from the Arsenal fans in the corner.
Are a lot of them keen to ensure rivals Tottenham don’t finish fourth? Just a thought.
West Ham 1-2 Arsenal
West Ham 1-2 Arsenal
73 mins: CHANCE! Antonio’s first contribution is to hold the ball up well for Benrahma. The Algerian sends a wicked cross in Fornals who hits it on the volley but it’s blocked well by Holding.
Arsenal then break up the other end with Nketiah. It’s two against one but the young Arsenal forward does well to check back inside and bend one towards the far corner which misses by a couple of inches!
Opportunities for both sides there.
West Ham 1-2 Arsenal
71 mins: SUB! Manuel Lanzini makes way for Michail Antonio.
West Ham 1-2 Arsenal
70 mins: West Ham probing for an equaliser but not really going anywhere with it.
Fornals tries an audacious crossfield pass towards Coufal but puts too much on it. And here comes the much-needed West Ham change.
West Ham 1-2 Arsenal
68 mins: There are still passages of play from both sides in this game that feel like they have been stunned with a tranquiliser gun. It’s so slow and ponderous.
Arsenal fans won’t care if it gets them fourth place though.
West Ham 1-2 Arsenal
66 mins: Arsenal break after Lanzini picks the wrong pass on the edge of the Gunners’ penalty area. Nketiah skips down the left before cutting in and trying his luck but it’s straight down the throat of Fabianski.
The game beginning to open up once more after a turgid 10 minutes or so.
West Ham 1-2 Arsenal
64 mins: Benrahma sends Tomiyasu this way and that before sending a ball into the box which Gabriel hacks clear.
West Ham back on the front foot but it’s very stop-start. Arsenal taking every possible second when the ball goes out of play, frustrating the hosts.
West Ham 1-2 Arsenal
62 mins: Martinelli is fouled by Coufal. The rhythm has totally gone out of the game since Arsenal’s second goal.
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