Bukayo Saka marked his 200th Premier League appearance in style by scoring in Arsenal’s victory against West Ham United, which took them to the top of the table after seven matches, arsenal.com reports.
The Gunners made easy work of this clash, going ahead on 38 minutes when Declan Rice neatly tucked home after Eberechi Eze saw a shot saved, and then midway through the second half Saka drove home a penalty after Jurrien Timber had been felled inside the box.
That was enough to allow Mikel Arteta to enjoy his own landmark afternoon as he took charge of us for the 300th occasion, and as he toasts that this evening, he’ll also be delighted that despite a tricky seven-game start, we’re yet again amongst the league’s leading pack.
Rice’s reunion goal
The Hammers arrived in N5 looking to become only the second side to win three successive Premier League away games against us, and they nearly made a dream start 40 seconds in when, aided by a swirling wind, Niclas Fullkrug headed a corner from inside the six-yard box over.
We responded when Jurrien Timber got in behind the visitors’ backline but could only shoot straight at Alphonse Areola from a tight angle, and then we saw a massive chance go begging on 12 minutes when Bukayo Saka centred for Gyokeres, who ended up colliding with Areola. The ball was up for grabs and pinballed around before dropping to Eze six yards out, but he somehow fired over the crossbar.
The opening half was a stop-start affair with a plethora of stoppages denying the game of any flow, and after Saka slipped the ball past Areola but an offside flag correctly curtailed his celebrations, for the third time this season, Martin Odegaard was forced off early. A clash of knees with Crysencio Summerville was the cause this time, and after trying to run it off, our skipper finally relented on the half-hour.
Martin Zubimendi took his place and soon was in the thick of things, and seven minutes after his introduction, the Spanish playmaker started the move that saw us get in front.
He slipped in an inch-perfect ball for Eze to chase down, and he flashed an excellent shot towards the bottom corner that Areola did well to push away. However the ball fell into Rice’s path, and his controlled shot found the net to score against his former club for the second time as a Gunner.
And just before the half-time whistle blew, we were so close to going into the changing rooms with a two-goal lead when Riccardo Calafiori took aim inside the D and thumped the post, but saw the ball strike the back of Areola and trickle towards the line but West Ham managed to scramble it to safety and escape into the break still in touch.
Having won all of their last 10 points on the road, the east-enders were showcasing why they wouldn’t be swatted aside, albeit without troubling David Raya at the other end. Another bitty, punctuated start to the second half saw them continue to hang in the contest, but that changed on 67 minutes when they fell further behind.
Zubimendi clipped another fine pass into Timber who was clumsily bundled into by El-Hadji Malick Diouf and we were awarded a penalty. Saka seized the responsibility, and he made no mistake by sending Areola the wrong way to mark his double century in style, and reach 100 goal involvements in that time.
At Old Trafford Manchester United returned to winning ways as they beat Sunderland 2-0.
First half goals from Mason Mount and Benjamin Sesko secured the three points for United.
