In a dazzling display of offensive prowess, Arsenal seized second place in the Premier League standings following a whirlwind victory at the London Stadium, where the first half saw an astonishing seven goals unfold before the bewildered eyes of the spectators.
The Gunners struck with purpose just 10 minutes into the match; centre-back Gabriel deftly flicked home a corner from the ever-influential Bukayo Saka, evading what can only be described as hapless marking from the West Ham defenders.
As the clock ticked to 27 minutes, the momentum surged further in Arsenal’s favor when Leandro Trossard, a virtuoso in close-range finishing, capitalized on a flowing move, courtesy of Saka’s incisive setup after a delightful lob from Martin Ødegaard.
What ensued was nothing short of chaotic brilliance: a flurry of four goals erupted within a mere six minutes. It all began with Ødegaard confidently converting a penalty following Saka’s trip by Lucas Paquetá.
Arsenal’s dominance was sealed at 4-0 shortly thereafter, as a long ball went inexplicably astray for West Ham’s Max Kilman, gifting Kai Havertz a one-on-one opportunity that he expertly dispatched past the beleaguered Lukasz Fabianski.
Yet, the Hammers fought back fervently; right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka notched his second goal in as many games with a deft near-post finish, followed by a stunning free-kick from left-back Emerson that thundered off the crossbar, narrowing the score to 4-2.
However, Arsenal swiftly reasserted their three-goal cushion, as Saka converted his first away league penalty of the season after Fabianski, in a moment of confusion, struck Gabriel while attempting to clear a corner.
Remarkably, this clash marked only the fourth incidence in Premier League history where seven goals graced the first half, yet the second half morphed into a tactical display, as Arsenal expertly managed the lead to clinch the victory.
With this triumph, Mikel Arteta’s squad finds themselves six points adrift of league leaders Liverpool, who prepare to clash with third-place Manchester City on Sunday.
For West Ham, the situation remains precarious; they sit at 14th in the table, perilously close to the lurking relegation zone just six points away.
