Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes took a big blow after a 1-0 loss to West Ham, with Myles Lewis-Skelly being sent off in the second half. The result leaves Liverpool with a chance to go 11 points clear at the top of the table.
The Gunners had hoped to close the gap to five points, but they couldn’t recover after Jarrod Bowen scored before half-time. Bowen’s goal came from poor defending, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka providing the cross.
Mikel Arteta was forced to play Mikel Merino up front due to injuries, but the makeshift striker could not repeat his two-goal performance against Leicester, and Arsenal struggled to create chances.
The match also saw Lewis-Skelly’s yellow card upgraded to a red for a foul on West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus, following a VAR review. The 18-year-old had his previous red card overturned last month, but this time, with Kudus through on goal, there was little chance of the decision being reversed.
Despite a late push from Arsenal, where Gabriel Magalhães and Ben White both missed chances, they couldn’t break down West Ham’s defence. The defeat leaves Arsenal’s title challenge hanging by a thread, while West Ham celebrated a well-earned victory.
Bowen’s goal came from a quick counter-attack, following defensive mistakes by Riccardo Calafiori, Declan Rice, and Gabriel. West Ham’s defence held strong, with Arsenal only managing two shots on target from 20 attempts.
This defeat ends a 15-match unbeaten run in the league for Arsenal, their longest under Arteta. For West Ham, it was a second win at the Emirates in two seasons, following a 2-0 win last year.
