Arsenal missed the chance to move top of the Premier League after losing 2-0 to London rivals West Ham United on Thursday night.
Premier League
Result: Arsenal 0-2 West Ham United
Date: 28 December 2023
Venue: Emirates Stadium
The Gunners made one change from the 1-1 draw with Liverpool, as Kai Havertz missed out through suspension and was replaced by Leandro Trossard whiel Declan Rice lined up against his former side.
The home side did all the dominating early on but it was West Ham who broke the deadlock on 13 minutes when Tomas Soucek fired home from close range from Jarrod Bowen's cross.
The Hammers were dealt a blow after 30 minutes as star midfielder Lucas Paqueta, who had bagged five assists in his last two games, was forced off with an injury and replaced Said Benrahma.
Arsenal pushed for an equaliser and were unlucky not to have equalised minutes before the break when Martin Odegaard played in Bukayo Saka, who saw his strike crash against the upright.
It got better for West Ham ten minutes into the second half when former Gunners defender Konstantinos Mavropanos got ahead of his marker to nod home a cross from James Ward-Prowse.
Gunners manager Mikel Arteta responded with a double change soon after as Gabriel Martinelli and Oleksandr Zinchenko made way for Eddie Nketiah and Reis Nelson for the final 25 minutes.
Try as they may, there was no back into the contest for the home side who only troubled Hammers goalkeeper Alphonse Areola with efforts from distance as they struggled in the 18-yard area.
The Hammers had a chance to bag a third goal in second-half stoppage time after Rice gave away a penalty, but Benrahma saw his spot-kick saved by David Raya as two goals were enough to hand Arsenal their first home defeat of the campaign.
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