Premier League: Saka Stars as Arsenal Overpower West Ham in 7-Goal Showdown
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London, Dec 1 (NationPress) Bukayo Saka netted once and set up two goals as Arsenal defeated West Ham United 5-2, climbing to second place in the Premier League standings.
A flurry of goals unfolded in a spectacular first half at London Stadium, where Gabriel Magalhaes, Leandro Trossard, Martin Odegaard, and Kai Havertz propelled Arsenal to a 4-0 advantage within just 36 minutes.
However, a quick response from Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Emerson reignited West Ham's hopes, even as Saka, who contributed two assists, restored Arsenal’s lead by netting their fifth goal right before halftime.
This match marked only the fourth instance in Premier League history where seven goals were scored in a single half, yet the Gunners displayed a more controlled performance after the break, preventing any further excitement.
Arsenal now trails Liverpool by six points, with Liverpool preparing for a significant match against Manchester City on Sunday, while West Ham finds itself in 14th place.
Saka facilitated Arsenal’s first two goals, with his corner in the 10th minute headed in by Gabriel, and then he provided an assist for Trossard to score the second before the half-hour mark. In doing so, Saka became the first player to achieve double-digit assists this season, according to Premier League statistics.
Arsenal appeared to seal the victory with two rapid goals. Odegaard converted a penalty after Lucas Paqueta fouled Saka, and Havertz capitalized on poor defending to score past Lukasz Fabianski. In stoppage time of the first half, Gabriel was fouled by Fabianski, and following a VAR review, a penalty was awarded. Saka stepped up and sent the ball past Fabianski, restoring Arsenal's three-goal lead just before the halftime whistle.
Michail Antonio nearly reduced the deficit after the break, but his shot deflected just wide, while West Ham substitute Danny Ings also missed the target after evading David Raya late in the match, as Arsenal secured an impressive victory.
"We made it intense. We started the game exceptionally well, scoring three quick goals, then they struck back immediately, making it competitive. We needed to manage the match effectively, and we did just that. The last two matches were challenging, and scoring goals is vital," remarked Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta following the win.
