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Arsenal plundered another hatful of goals at West Ham as they climbed up to second in the Premier League with a frenetic 5-2 victory.
The Gunners can now put their feet up and watch title rivals Liverpool and Manchester City try to take points off each other on Sunday after what was a breathless encounter – or first half at least – at the London Stadium.
Just as they had at Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday night, Arsenal had five different scorers, with Gabriel, Leandro Trossard, Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka finding the net.
West Ham waited until they were 4-0 down before showing a modicum of fight, with goals from Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Emerson Palmieri briefly making things interesting.
But Saka’s penalty before half-time put Arsenal back in control as the Hammers’ revival, which lasted precisely one match – Monday night’s win at Newcastle – came to an embarrassing end and no doubt raised more questions about the future of manager Julen Lopetegui.
Arsenal took the lead after only 10 minutes via a new corner routine, overloading the far post before, as Saka swung the ball in, all charging across goal at once.
Jurrien Timber barged Lucas Paqueta, who was manning the near post, out of the way and an unmarked Gabriel arrived in the gap to glance home his header.
They doubled their lead when Saka collected the ball out on the right and fed it inside to Odegaard, who lifted it into the area for the England winger to continue his run.
Saka side-footed a simple pass across goal to where Trossard was left with a tap-in.
Soon it was three, Paqueta and Emerson combining to make sure at least one of them fouled Saka in the box, with Odegaard confidently converting the penalty.
Barely 60 seconds later Max Kilman missed Trossard’s ball over the top to leave Havertz with half of Stratford to himself to stroll forward and finish past a shellshocked Lukasz Fabianski.
In scenes reminiscent of last season’s 6-0 drubbing in the same fixture, West Ham fans began dutifully filing out.
But those who left missed Wan-Bissaka’s second collector’s item in six days, following his goal at St James’ Park on Monday, tucking in his fourth career goal from Carlos Soler’s through-ball.
They also missed probably the best goal of a quite barmy first half, a spectacular Emerson free-kick whipped into the top corner from 20 yards.
But Arsenal finished the half three ahead after Fabianski’s attempted punch from another corner caught Gabriel’s temple rather than the ball and this time Saka rolled in the spot-kick.
Gabriel was unable to come out for the second half, which will be of concern to boss Mikel Arteta, with the Brazilian replaced by Jakub Kiwior.
But the fun, by then, was over. Jarrod Bowen fired too high and Michail Antonio rolled a shot narrowly wide for West Ham, while Fabianski saved an effort from Odegaard.
But the goals and entertainment dried up as Arsenal took their foot off the gas safe in the knowledge their work was well and truly done before all eyes turn to Anfield on Sunday.
Source: independent.co.uk
