Eddie Nketiah strikes late to snatch win for laboured Arsenal

Arsenal grabbed a late winner to secure a 2-1 victory over West Ham United in the Premier League’s evening match at the Emirates Stadium.

West Ham started the better of the two teams, but it was Arsenal that took the lead after 25 minutes after Alexandre Lacazette headed in a cross from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The visitors deservedly equalised in the last minute of the first half when Michail Antonio turned in a low ball from Ryan Fredericks.

The visitors then carved out the best chances of the second period, with Antonio failing to convert a chance from six yards out and then placing a header onto the bar midway through the half. With four minutes to go West Ham paid for their profligacy, as Dani Ceballos found Eddie Nketiah to tap home the winner for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta’s team will now travel to Anfield to play the champions Liverpool in the next round of Premier League matches, while West Ham will host Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Is this a victory that shows us a new side to Arsenal? It’s good to be an Arsenal fan at the moment. In their last four competitive games they have won the FA Cup, the Community Shield and have made a perfect start to the 2020-21 Premier League season. Earlier this week, they signed a new long-term deal with captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Arteta certainly has the club moving in the right direction, and his recent signings have added to a team that looked like they were coming together at the end of last season. Willian might be 32-years old but he is proven in the Premier League and evidently has a lot left to give, while Gabriel is showing signs that he could just be the commanding centre back that Arsenal have been crying out for.

The victory tonight was an important one, not because of who they defeated but the circumstances they overcame. More recent iterations of Arsenal would have folded after being outplayed in the second half, and Arteta’s jubilation at the final whistle celebrated the show of character from his players that snagged a late victory. Next up for Arsenal is an even greater test; their match with Liverpool at Anfield a week on Monday is perhaps the most intriguing match of the Premier League season so far.

Arsenal struggled for long periods tonight during a game where West Ham created the better of the chances. Their two goals however were wonderful creations, both of which were instigated by a sudden change of pace and an incisive pass from Saka that split the West Ham defence wide open. Arsenal have a serious talent on their books.

Arsenal (3-4-3): Leno 5; Gabriel 7, Holding 6, Kolasinac 6; Bellerin 6, Xhaka 6, Ceballos 7, Saka 8; Willian 6, Aubameyang 7, Lacazette 7

SUBS: David Luiz 6, Pepe 6, Nketiah 7

West Ham United (3-4-3): Fabianski 6; Diop 6, Ogbonna 6, Cresswell 6; Fredericks 7, Rice 6, Soucek 6, Masuaku 7; Fornals 6, Bowen 7, Antonio 7

SUBS: Yarmolenko 6, Anderson 6, Lanzini, Haller 6

25’ GOAL! Arsenal 1 (Lacazette 25) West Ham United 0 A wonderful move here from Arsenal. Saka splits the West Ham defence to play Aubameyang in on the left of the West Ham area. Aubameyang stands a cross up to the penalty spot where Lacazette is waiting to thump a header high into the net past Fabianski. It's checked, and it was a wafer thin call as to whether it was offside or not, but it's given.

45’ GOAL! Arsenal 1 West Ham United 1 (Antonio 45) It looks like we'll be going into half-time level! West Ham break again, and Bowen finds the overlapping Fredericks on the right. He drills a low ball into the six-yard box, where Antonio gets in front of Holding to turn the ball past Leno.

53’ BIG CHANCE! A stunning cross from Masuaku finds Antonio in the six-yard box. He looks certain to score, but a diving challenge from Gabriel seems to do just enough to put him off and the ball squirms into the grasp of Leno right on the goal line.

67’ OFF THE BAR! What an almighty scramble! Masuaku loops a cross to the back post, where Antonio heads the ball onto the bar. Leno rushes out to gather the rebound but spills it and Bowen can't guide his shot past the goalkeeper as Arsenal hack it clear.

86’ GOAL! Arsenal 2 (Nketiah 86) West Ham United 1 Arsenal have cut West Ham open again. Saka dances in from the left and prods a pass to beat the offside trap and release Ceballos into the area. Ceballos draws out Fabianski and then squares it to Nketiah, who taps into an empty net from seven yards out.

Alexandre Lacazette scored his 50th goal in all competitions for Arsenal tonight.