Ten-man Arsenal’s Premier League title bid was dealt a major blow after they suffered a torrid 1-0 defeat against West Ham at the Emirates.
Jarrod Bowen scored what would prove to be the only goal of the game on the stroke of half-time before Gunners substitute Myles Lewis-Skelly was sent off with 18 minutes remaining.
Even prior to Lewis-Skelly’s dismissal – upgraded from a yellow card following a VAR intervention after the teenager denied Mohammed Kudus a clear scoring opportunity – Arsenal’s failure to sign a striker during last month’s transfer window had been brutally exposed.
Leading from the front ©️ pic.twitter.com/DSo0WHvzRR
— West Ham United (@WestHam) February 22, 2025
Makeshift forward Mikel Merino was tasked with leading the line, but the Gunners managed only two shots on target on a chastening afternoon for Mikel Arteta and his players.
The defeat, Arsenal’s first in the league in four months, leaves them eight points adrift of Liverpool, who face Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
Following his match-winning cameo at Leicester last weekend, Arteta turned to Merino from the start. Raheem Sterling, who has started just four league games since his loan arrival from Chelsea, was dropped to the bench.
But Arsenal, without Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus – who are both out for the season – and first-choice wingers Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli also on the treatment table, lacked any threat.
For much of the first half it was the visitors who looked more likely to score, with Bowen scuffing a shot wide following a fine run and pass by Aaron Wan-Bissaka, before Tomas Soucek headed Kudus’ cross over.
The warning signs were there for Arsenal and as they continued to fail to muster anything of note, the Hammers landed their breakthrough.
We''ve been reduced to 10 men – Myles Lewis-Skelly sent off after a VAR check.
🔴 0-1 ⚫️ (73)
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) February 22, 2025
The visitors nicked the ball on the edge of Arsenal’s penalty area, with Bowen playing in the impressive Wan-Bissaka on West Ham’s right-hand side.
Riccardo Calafiori did not do enough to close down his opponent and Wan-Bissaka’s pinpoint delivery was met by an unmarked Bowen who headed home.
Arteta will have been furious at the ease with which West Ham were allowed to break, and the Spaniard will have demanded a major improvement after the interval.
However, the hour mark arrived and Calafiori’s long-range effort down the throat of Alphonse Areola in the opening period remained Arsenal’s sole effort on goal.
Lewis-Skelly and Oleksandr Zinchenko were introduced with former West Ham midfielder Declan Rice, much to the delight of the visiting supporters, and Calafiori making way.
Leandro Trossard forced Areola into action as he saved the Belgian’s low drive. But despite dominating possession, Arsenal never looked like scoring.
And their afternoon was dealt a hammer blow in the 72nd minute when Lewis-Skelly hauled down Kudus on the halfway line. Referee Craig Pawson reached for a yellow card but a VAR check followed, and, after he was advised to check his pitchside monitor, Pawson upgraded the booking to a red.
Lewis-Skelly’s dismissal at Wolves last month was rightly upheld, but here he could have no complaints. Goalkeeper David Raya was well off his line and Lewis-Skelly had denied Kudus a clear scoring opportunity.
Sterling was handed 10 minutes to save both his and Arsenal’s season, but his free-kick on the edge of the area cannoned into the West Ham wall before Gabriel scooped his effort over.
Trossard fired over the crossbar in the 90th minute. Eight minutes of stoppage time followed but West Ham saw out the win – only their second of the year so far – as the home fans headed to the exit wondering whether this was the afternoon that their title quest unravelled.
Ange Postecoglou insisted his controversial cupped ear celebration to Tottenham fans in a 1-0 loss at Chelsea had been misinterpreted on another bad night for the Australian.Spurs slipped to a 16th defeat in the Premier League this season thanks to a 50th-minute header by Enzo Fernandez, but it only told half the story of a typically frenzied London derby.VAR was required to rule out a fine strike...
Chelsea climbed back into the Premier League’s top four as Enzo Fernandez’s header early in the second half earned a 1-0 derby win over Tottenham at Stamford Bridge.Enzo Maresca’s side were under pressure after limping into the international break playing football that had ceased to excite home fans, but they largely had the better of a disappointing Spurs team that failed to tak...
David Moyes believes James Tarkowski was lucky to avoid a red card for his reckless challenge on Alexis Mac Allister as Everton were beaten 1-0 by Liverpool on a controversial night at Anfield.Diogo Jota’s 57th-minute goal, which Moyes claimed should have been ruled out for offside, gave Liverpool a 100th derby win and moved them a step closer to the Premier League title, but both sides were...
Jack Grealish dedicated his goal to his late brother after scoring in Manchester City’s 2-0 win over relegation-threatened Leicester on Wednesday.The England international hit his first Premier League goal for 16 months, on his first start in the competition since last December, as City moved back into fourth with a comfortable success at the Etihad Stadium.It came on the 25th anniversary of...
David Moyes bemoaned an “offside” goal that gave Liverpool a 1-0 win over Everton – but admitted James Tarkowski was lucky to avoid an early red card on a controversial night at Anfield.Diogo Jota’s 57th-minute goal gave Liverpool a 100th derby win and moved them a step closer to the Premier League title, but both sides were left unhappy with decisions from referee Sam Barr...
Eddie Howe hailed Sandro Tonali’s shooting power after seeing him cap a fine display with a stunning winner to edge Newcastle into the race for Champions League qualification.The 24-year-old Italy international brought an incident-packed encounter to a fitting conclusion with a 74th-minute piledriver which beat goalkeeper Mark Flekken from an improbable angle to hand the Magpies a precious 2...
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery believes Marcus Rashford is “progressively getting better” in all aspects of his game following his first Premier League goal for the club.The on-loan Manchester United forward set Villa on course for a comprehensive 3-0 win over fellow European hopefuls Brighton with a 51st-minute finish at the Amex Stadium.Rashford’s milestone strike came three days ...
Southampton boss Ivan Juric vowed to keep fighting as relegation moved sharply into focus after Crystal Palace denied them only a third Premier League win of the season.Substitute Matheus Franca’s stoppage-time header, to secure a 1-1 draw for the Eagles, means Saints will be down at the weekend if they lose at Tottenham and Wolves beat Ipswich.If relegation is confirmed on Sunday, Southampt...
Derby boss John Eustace insists his side are reaping the rewards for the hard work they have put in since he was appointed as manager after the Rams earned a 2-0 win over Preston to climb out of the Sky Bet Championship relegation zone.Derby came out firing after a lacklustre opening period and Craig Forsyth coolly slotted the hosts in front with his fourth goal of the season.The Rams doubled thei...
Notts County manager Stuart Maynard hailed a “massive” three points as his side comfortably saw off MK Dons at Meadow Lane to maintain their promotion challenge.Two stunning strikes from David McGoldrick and Will Jarvis from the edge of the box, either side of Nick Tsaroulla’s close-range effort, earned County a convincing 3-0 win.“I think every three points is massive now,...
- 1 Hot WAG flaunts 'astonishing' washboard abs in bikini
- 2 Danny Rohl hails Sheffield Wednesday resilience in draw at Cardiff
- 3 Alfie May double sends Birmingham step closer to Championship
- 4 Marcus Rashford scores first Premier League goal for Villa in win at Brighton
- 5 Ryan Lowe and Conor Hourihane felt team deserved more as Wigan and Barnsley draw
- 6 Mat Sadler hails Taylor Allen set-piece skills after Walsall snatch draw
- 7 Chris Davies says Alfie May’s goal drought never concerned him
- 8 Football fan 'eats' raw pig's head in ultimate insult
- 9 Marcus Rashford still looking to improve after firing Villa into FA Cup semis
- 10 Chelsea prepare €70m for Barcelona defender