Premier League: Saka Shines Bright as Arsenal Defeats West Ham in 7-Goal Thriller

London, Dec 1 (NationPress) Bukayo Saka netted once and provided two assists as Arsenal overwhelmed West Ham United 5-2, moving them up to second in the Premier League table.

All goals unfolded in a stunning first half at the London Stadium, where Gabriel Magalhaes, Leandro Trossard, Martin Odegaard, and Kai Havertz propelled Arsenal to a 4-0 lead within just 36 minutes.

However, quick goals from Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Emerson sparked a glimmer of hope for West Ham, but their comeback aspirations were dashed when Saka, who also tallied two assists, netted Arsenal's fifth just before half-time.

This match marked only the fourth occasion in the history of the Premier League where seven goals were scored in a single half; however, Arsenal showcased a more composed performance in the second half to prevent any further excitement.

Arsenal now trails leaders Liverpool by six points, with Liverpool set to face off against Manchester City on Sunday, while West Ham finds itself in 14th place.

Saka orchestrated Arsenal's first two goals, with his corner in the 10th minute headed in by Gabriel, followed by a precise assist to Trossard for the second goal just before the half-hour mark. This achievement made Saka the first player to reach double-digits in assists this season, as reported by the Premier League.

Arsenal appeared to secure the victory with two rapid goals. Odegaard converted a penalty after Lucas Paqueta brought down Saka, and Havertz took advantage of poor defending to score past Lukasz Fabianski. Just before the half-time whistle, Gabriel was fouled by Fabianski, leading to a VAR review that confirmed a penalty. Saka took charge and coolly slotted the ball past Fabianski, restoring Arsenal’s three-goal advantage.

Michail Antonio nearly reduced the deficit again after the break, but his shot narrowly missed the target. Meanwhile, West Ham substitute Danny Ings could only strike wide after rounding David Raya late in the game as Arsenal secured a resounding victory.

“We made it exciting. We started the game remarkably well, scoring three early goals. Then they responded immediately with one of their own, and another shortly after—it was game on. We needed to manage the match, and we did that excellently. The last two games were challenging, and scoring goals is significant,” stated Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta after the match.