Arsenal dominates West Ham in thrilling 7-goal match

Arsenal kept the pressure on Liverpool with a thrilling 5-2 victory over West Ham United, in one of the most dramatic London derbies in Premier League history. By halftime, seven goals had been scored, setting the stage for a high-octane second half.

Early Arsenal dominance

Arsenal was in full flow from the very beginning, bolstered by the return of Martin Ødegaard, who was back in the starting lineup after recovering from an ankle injury. The Gunners had already shown great form in recent weeks, with a convincing 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest followed by a stunning 5-1 victory over Sporting Portugal in the Champions League. West Ham, however, was no match for Arsenal's pace and intensity early on. Arsenal's expertise in set-pieces proved pivotal once again in the 10th minute. Bukayo Saka, with a perfect left-footed delivery from a corner, found Gabriel Magalhães, who rose above the West Ham defenders to head home and give Arsenal a 1-0 lead. The visitors continued to press, and just 17 minutes later, they doubled their advantage. A delightful combination between Saka and Ødegaard set up Leandro Trossard, who finished coolly from close range to make it 2-0.

West Ham struggles and Arsenal's clinical finishing

West Ham was reeling from Arsenal’s relentless attack, and things got worse for the home side when Lucas Paquetá fouled Saka in the penalty area. The referee pointed to the spot, and Ødegaard calmly converted the penalty, sending goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski the wrong way to make it 3-0. Arsenal wasn’t done yet. Just two minutes later, Kai Havertz scored after a brilliant through ball from Trossard, making it 4-0 and leaving West Ham with little room to breathe. The frustration among the West Ham supporters was palpable, but just when it seemed like all hope was lost, their team showed some fight. In the 34th minute, a clever pass from Carlos Soler found Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who pulled one back for West Ham, making it 4-1. The crowd at the London Stadium erupted in hope, and just a few minutes later, Emerson Palmieri scored a stunning free-kick that curled off the underside of the crossbar and into the net to reduce the deficit to 4-2.

A dramatic end to the first half

Despite the late surge from West Ham, Arsenal responded quickly in injury time. With just seconds remaining in the first half, Saka was awarded a penalty after being fouled in the box. The young winger stepped up and scored with confidence, making it 5-2 just before the break.

Second half and the Gunners' commanding lead

As the second half unfolded, the game lost some of its earlier intensity to say the least. With a 5-2 lead, Arsenal managed to control possession and stifle any further West Ham attacks. The home side struggled to break down Arsenal’s defense, and despite some sporadic attempts, no more goals were added.