May 02, (THEWILL) – With a crucial 2-1 win over West Ham on Sunday afternoon, Arsenal recovered their place in the English Premier League top four places.
Following Tottenham’s emphatic 3-1 win over Leicester earlier in the day, the Gunners were overtaken by their north London rivals on the table. However, goals from defenders Rob Holding and Gabriel cancelled out Jarrod Bowen’s score to ensure they finished the weekend ahead of Spurs.
The first half hour at the London Stadium was difficult to watch, with both teams measuring each other up with long periods of sterile possession.
The ball broke sweetly for Pablo Fornals on the edge of the Gunners’ area, but he fired well over. That missed chance seemed to bring the game to life. Manuel Lanzini’s shot from within the box was also blocked by Holding, the stand-in centre-back who replaced the injured Ben White and was sensational on the day.
Arsenal seized the lead from a corner eight minutes before halftime. Bukayo Saka whipped in a cross, and Holding leapt high to place the ball past Lukasz Fabianski for his second goal in the league.
West Ham equalised just before the half-time break. Declan Rice, who had seen his header saved by Aaron Ramsdale acrobatically moments before, was pivotal in the build-up, giving an inch-perfect lofted pass to Vladimir Coufal, who then crossed for Bowen to score a scrappy, deflected goal into the bottom corner.
Arsenal quickly regained their one-goal lead, with West Ham once again undone by a set piece early in the second half. The Hammers were unable to clear Bukayo Saka’s corner, and Gabriel Martinelli kept the ball alive by crossing for Gabriel to force home at the back post with his header.
This goal took the wind out of West Ham’s sails, and the game slowed to a halt, with chances at a premium.
Eddie Nketiah was slipped through 20 minutes from time but curled his shot wide of the post when he should have done better. Then, with a chance from distance, the centre-forward forced a stop from Fabianski.
West Ham brought on both Tomas Soucek and Michail Antonio as the game neared its conclusion in pursuit of an equaliser. The tired Hammers, on the other hand, never put a meaningful threat on the Arsenal goal, with the Gunners hanging on for a crucial win.
Arsenal has now won three games in a row, and they have reclaimed fourth place from Spurs, with a two-point advantage. Next up for them is a home match against Leeds United. West Ham remain in eighth place, and their focus now shifts to the second leg of their Europa League semi-final against Frankfurt on Thursday.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
