Arsenal showed no mercy to West Ham as they scored six goals without reply at the London Stadium on Sunday, recording their biggest ever away win in the Premier League and keeping up the pressure on the title contenders.
Saliba opens the floodgates
The game was evenly poised for the first 30 minutes, with both teams struggling to create clear chances. But the deadlock was broken by Arsenal defender William Saliba, who headed in a corner from Leandro Trossard in the 31st minute. It was his first goal for the club since joining from Saint-Etienne in 2019.
That goal seemed to spark Arsenal into life, as they quickly added three more before half-time. Bukayo Saka doubled the lead in the 34th minute with a low shot from the edge of the box, after a neat one-two with Gabriel Martinelli. The Brazilian striker then turned provider for Gabriel Magalhaes, who headed in the third goal from a cross in the 37th minute. Trossard capped off a brilliant first half for the Gunners with a curling shot from 25 yards out in the 40th minute, leaving West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski with no chance.
Saka and Rice complete the rout
West Ham fans were hoping for a better second half from their team, but they were left disappointed as Arsenal continued their dominance. Saka completed his brace in the 52nd minute, after a swift counter-attack led by Martin Odegaard. The Norwegian playmaker found Saka in space on the left, and the winger cut inside and fired a powerful shot into the top corner.
The final nail in the coffin came from an unlikely source, as former West Ham captain Declan Rice scored a stunning goal against his old club in the 64th minute. The midfielder, who joined Arsenal in January for a reported fee of £80 million, unleashed a rocket from 30 yards out that flew past Fabianski and into the net. Rice did not celebrate out of respect for his former team, but he received a warm applause from the Arsenal fans.
Arsenal make history and close the gap
The final whistle brought an end to a miserable afternoon for West Ham, who suffered their heaviest defeat in the Premier League era. The Hammers remain in 13th place, but their manager David Moyes is under increasing pressure, as his contract expires at the end of the season.
Arsenal, on the other hand, celebrated their historic win, which equalled their biggest margin of victory in an away league match, and their first such win by six goals since December 1935 against Aston Villa. The Gunners also moved level on points with second-placed Manchester City, and just two points behind leaders Liverpool, with 13 games left to play. Arsenal have won their last four games in a row, scoring 15 goals and conceding none, and look like genuine title contenders under Mikel Arteta.
