West Ham United 0-6 Arsenal: Gunners romp to emphatic win to close gap on leaders

Arsenal secured their greatest Premier League away win with a ruthless dismantling of West Ham to transfer again to inside two factors of leaders Liverpool.

It is West Ham’s heaviest dwelling Premier League defeat and joint-heaviest of all time, together with an 8-2 loss in opposition to Blackburn in 1963-64.

The Gunners raced right into a 4-0 lead in a rare first half thanks to targets from William Saliba, Gabriel, Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard, leaving the house facet shocked.

Saka waltzed by a static Hammers defence to rating his second after the break, earlier than Declan Rice made it 6-0 with a rocket of a shot from distance in opposition to his former membership.

Arsenal cruise to beautiful victory

After the jubilation of final weekend’s win over Liverpool, Arsenal produced one other assertion efficiency to restate their title credentials.

It is their joint-biggest margin of victory in an away league match and their first since a 7-1 win over Aston Villa in December 1935.

Their earlier file away win within the Premier League was 6-1 in opposition to Middlesbrough in 1999 and Everton in 2009.

They had to wait 32 minutes to break the impasse, when Saliba rose highest on the far publish from Rice’s nook to nod dwelling from close vary.

West Ham had been defensively disciplined to that time, however utterly misplaced their form as Arsenal ran in three extra targets earlier than the break.

The second got here from the penalty spot when Saka ran on to a ball excessive and was fouled by goalkeeper Alphonse Areola. The England worldwide, who missed from the spot in opposition to West Ham final season, transformed this time for his fiftieth Arsenal purpose.

Gabriel made it 3-0 with one other close-range header from Rice’s free-kick, earlier than Trossard curled fantastically into the highest nook in first-half stoppage time.

The tempo of the sport dropped after the break however Arsenal’s dominance remained, with Saka accumulating Martin Odegaard’s move inside the world earlier than rifling into the close to publish.

Rice then fired in an outstanding sixth from distance, although the England midfielder refused to have fun on what was his second look again at his outdated membership since his £100m summer time transfer.

West Ham hunch continues

West Ham followers streaming out of the London Stadium earlier than half-time can be a worrying sight for David Moyes, who has come underneath stress from some sections of the fanbase this season.

The Hammers had been trying to beat Arsenal thrice in the identical season for the primary time in 99 years, after profitable 3-1 at dwelling within the EFL Cup in November after which 2-0 on the Emirates the next month.

But the Hammers have but to win since that December evening in north London, that means they’ve begun a calendar yr winless of their first seven video games for the primary time since 1997.

This sport was misplaced in a disastrous 15-minute spell earlier than half-time as West Ham’s beforehand cussed defence disintegrated, with the half-time break failing to encourage any type of response.

With Moyes’ contract expiring on the finish of the season, a outcome from a limp efficiency like this may solely add to the uncertainty about his future.

The Scot can be hoping West Ham’s subsequent 4 video games, all in opposition to sides at present within the backside seven, supply a chance to kick-start their faltering season.

Player of the match

RiceDeclan Rice