Hammers outclassed by ruthless Gunners
Arsenal outclassed the Hammers on Boxing Day to record a comfortable 3-1 win and retain their lead at the top of the Premier League table.
The Irons came into the game on the back of three successive defeats, and a fourth was chalked up at the Emirates.
Said Benrahma had opened the scoring from the penalty spot after Jarrod Bowen was fouled in the penalty area by William Saliba.
The Irons played well in the first half, defending brilliantly, and making inroads in the final third, but it was like a different side appeared for the second half.
The first major talking point of the second half appeared to be a penalty decision, as Aaron Cresswell was adjudged to have blocked a Martin Odegaard shot with his hand, but VAR overturned it.
There was to be no reprieve in the 52nd minute, though, when Bukayo Saka got on the end of a Martin Odegaard shot and slotted the ball into the bottom corner. Replays showed that Vlad Coufal was far too deep and played Saka onside.
Just six minutes later, Gabriel Martinelli added a second for the Gunners. He was played in by Granit Xhaka and shot from an acute angle, with the ball slipping just by Lukasz Fabianski’s boot. Once again, Coufal was beaten in the build-up.
And the final nail in the coffin was hammered in on 68 minutes. Odegaard, so brilliant throughout the game, once again picked the lock with a superb pass, and Eddie Nketiah rolled Thilo Kehrer before finishing coolly.
A dispiriting performance. Merry Christmas, everyone.