Premier League GW19 - Arsenal vs West Ham

Arsenal vs West Ham | Picture Credits: Premier League Website

West Ham stunned Arsenal with a thrilling surprise at Emirates Stadium, undermining the Gunners' hopes of winning the championship. The match was as intensely contested as it was expected to be, pitting two London rivals against one another, and West Ham prevailed 2-0.

Arsenal:

Having just played to a hard-fought 1-1 draw at Anfield against rival championship rivals Liverpool, Arsenal topped the Premier League tree this Christmas. After 18 games, the Gunners were one point ahead of Jurgen Klopp's Reds and Unai Emery's Aston Villa, with Tottenham four points behind and Manchester City six behind. Although the north London club hasn't lost in the league since a contentious loss to Newcastle United on November 4, Mikel Arteta's team dropped to second place after Jurgen Klopp's team defeated Burnley 2-0 on Tuesday. The Spaniard will view this as another winnable opportunity to climb back to the top.

West Ham:

With their decisive 2-0 victory over Erik ten Hag's struggling Manchester United, West Ham rocketed up to sixth place in the Premier League table going into the Christmas break. Aside from a humiliating 5-0 loss at Fulham, the Hammers have recently triumphed over Wolves, Tottenham, and Burnley as hope at London Stadium keeps growing. Due to a later match on Matchday 19, David Moyes' team dropped to seventh place, but an unexpected derby victory here would put them back in first place, due to Manchester United's thrilling victory against Aston Villa.

Starting XI:

ARSENAL (4-3-3):

David Raya; Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Oleksandr Zinchenko; Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, Leandro Trossard; Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli.

SUBSTITUTES: Aaron Ramsdale, Emile Smith Rowe, Eddie Nketiah, Jakub Kiwior, Cedric Soares, Jorginho, Reiss Nelson, Mohamed Elneny, Ethan Nwaneri.

WEST HAM (4-2-3-1):

Alphonse Areola; Vladimir Coufal, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Angelo Ogbonna, Emerson; Edson Alvarez, Tomas Soucek; Mohammed Kudus, James Ward-Prowse, Lucas Paqueta; Jarrod Bowen.

SUBSTITUTES: Lukasz Fabianski, Ben Johnson, Aaron Cresswell, Pablo Fornals, Maxwel Cornet, Danny Ings, Said Benrahma, Thilo Kehrer, Divin Mubama.

Emirates Stadium | Picture Credits: The FA

First Half Drama: Controversial Opener and Arsenal Frustration

Disputedly, West Ham took the lead in the thirteenth minute. After a heated exchange involving Bowen, Soucek scored, frustrating both Arsenal players and supporters. Bowen's attempt to retain the ball in play was recognised by the VAR and referee Oliver, setting up Soucek for a close-range finish.

Arsenal had possession in abundance, but West Ham's defence was uncompromising. At halftime, the Gunners were behind 1-0 after Saka struck the crossbar and Jesus squandered significant opportunities. The Soucek goal remained a topic of conversation, evoking the contentious choices Arsenal had to make early in the year.

Second Half: Mavropanos Haunts Former Club

West Ham increased their lead in the second half, further aggravating Arsenal's situation. In the 55th minute, Mavropanos, the former Gunner, headed a strong header over the defence to make it 2-0. Mavropanos celebrated his former employers' defeat when Ward-Prowse's accurate corner kick was intercepted.

Jesus squandered two excellent chances, one of which was a header that may have launched a comeback, which only made Arsenal more irate. Mavropanos and Ogbonna commanded the Hammers' defence, which held firm in the face of Arsenal's constant onslaught.

As time ran out, West Ham was given a penalty and had the opportunity to increase their lead even more. Rice fouled Emerson, which resulted in the spot-kick. But in the 96th minute, Raya produced a breathtaking stop to deny Benrahma, giving Arsenal a glimmer of hope.

With a 2-0 victory confirmed by the final whistle, West Ham caused a major upset in the Premier League. Arsenal's dissatisfaction increased as a result of squandered opportunities and debatable rulings, while the Hammers displayed tenacity in defence and clinical finishing.

West Ham's Perfect Smash-and-Grab

Arsenal's hopes of winning the title were severely damaged by West Ham's flawless smash-and-grab effort. The game was plenty of drama, capped with Soucek's dubious opener, Mavropanos haunting his former club, and Raya's penalty save. While West Ham rejoices over a significant win, Arsenal prepares for their next matchup with Fulham by trying to recuperate and recover. This London derby was just another one of the surprises the Premier League has to offer.

Soucek's goal gave West Ham a 1-0 lead | Picture Credits: Premier League Website

Mavropanos's goal doubled West Ham's lead | Picture Credits: Premier League Website