Arsenal’s pursuit of the Premier League title took a significant hit on Saturday as West Ham pulled off a stunning 1-0 upset against the 10-man Gunners at the Emirates Stadium. With league leaders Liverpool idle until their Sunday clash with Manchester City, Mikel Arteta’s side had a golden opportunity to narrow the gap at the top. Instead, they slumped to their first league defeat in 16 matches, leaving them eight points adrift of Liverpool, who could extend their lead to 11 with a win over City.
The match turned on two pivotal moments. West Ham struck first in the 44th minute when Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s precise cross found Jarrod Bowen, whose header exposed Arsenal’s lack of sharpness in attack. The Gunners, already hampered by injuries to key forwards Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, and Bukayo Saka, struggled to find their rhythm. Mikel Merino, typically a midfielder, was deployed as a makeshift striker after his brace off the bench in last weekend’s win at Leicester, but Arsenal’s cutting edge remained absent.
The situation worsened in the 73rd minute when Myles Lewis-Skelly, introduced as a substitute, was sent off. Initially cautioned with a yellow card for halting Mohammed Kudus’s breakaway run at the halfway line, the young defender saw his punishment upgraded to a red card after referee Craig Pawson reviewed the incident on the pitchside monitor. Reduced to 10 men, Arsenal’s hopes of a comeback evaporated.
The defeat ends a resilient run for second-placed Arsenal, whose last top-flight loss came at Newcastle in November. For Arteta, the result highlights the squad’s vulnerability amid an injury crisis and raises questions about their depth in the title race. West Ham, meanwhile, celebrated a rare triumph at the Emirates, with Bowen’s first-half goal proving decisive.
As Liverpool prepare to face a faltering Manchester City, Arsenal’s stumble could prove costly. The Gunners now face an uphill battle to close the gap, with their depleted squad and lack of firepower laid bare. For West Ham, the victory offers a morale boost and a reminder of their capacity to upset the league’s elite. Arsenal’s title ambitions remain alive, but this shock loss underscores the challenges ahead in their quest to dethrone the leaders.
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