Bukayo Saka scored two goals, and Declan Rice found the back of the net against his former team as Arsenal narrowed the gap on league leaders Liverpool with an impressive 6-0 victory over West Ham at the London Stadium.
Despite having lost to West Ham twice already this season, it seemed like a potential stumbling block for the Gunners. However, David Moyes’ side never looked like completing a hat-trick as Arsenal showcased their title credentials with a dominant performance.
The scoring was initiated by William Saliba, who headed in a simple goal from Rice’s corner on the left-wing just after the 30-minute mark. Saka then redeemed himself for a couple of missed chances by confidently converting a penalty in the 41st minute.
Mikel Arteta’s team quickly extended their lead with a third goal just two minutes later, as Gabriel celebrated his 150th appearance for the club by heading in another set-piece goal. This prompted numerous West Ham fans to leave the stadium, and their despair deepened when Leandro Trossard beautifully curled in a fourth goal just before halftime.
The trend continued after the break, with Saka scoring a powerful low shot at the near post, taking his total goal contributions in his Arsenal career to 100.
Rice proceeded to exacerbate the pain of his former team with an impressive 25-yard shot that he refrained from celebrating after 65 minutes. West Ham went through the motions for the rest of the extremely one-sided match and were met with boos at the end.
As a result, Arsenal has now emerged victorious in all four of their league games in 2024 and once again finds themselves just two points behind league leaders Liverpool in third place. They are also trailing second-placed Manchester City based on goal difference. In contrast, West Ham have failed to secure a win in their last five league matches since the beginning of the year and currently sit in eighth place.
Looking ahead, Arsenal will be paying a visit to Burnley on Saturday, while West Ham will be facing Nottingham Forest.
