Arsenal Beat West Ham 2-0 as Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka Fire Gunners to Premier League Summit

Arsenal beat West Ham 2-0 as Declan Rice struck against his old club and Bukayo Saka marked his 200th appearance with a decisive goal.

Arsenal beat West Ham 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium, with goals from Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka sending Mikel Arteta’s side top of the Premier League table—at least for the moment.

Declan Rice delivered the breakthrough in the 38th minute against his former team. After Eberechi Eze’s shot was parried by Alphonse Areola, Rice reacted quickly to smash the rebound high into the net. Despite boos from the traveling supporters, the midfielder refused to celebrate out of respect for West Ham, where he rose to prominence.

Bukayo Saka doubled the advantage in the 67th minute from the penalty spot after Malick Diouf brought down Jurriën Timber inside the box. The 23-year-old winger kept his composure to send Areola the wrong way, capping his 200th Arsenal appearance with a memorable finish.

Arsenal’s Control Despite Ødegaard Injury

Arsenal dominated possession with 71% of the ball and created numerous chances, leaving West Ham struggling to cope. Early opportunities for Niclas Füllkrug and Lucas Paquetá fizzled out, and the visitors rarely threatened after the opening exchanges.

The evening wasn’t without concern for Arsenal, however, as captain Martin Ødegaard limped off with a knee issue in the first half. It was his third straight Premier League match ending before halftime due to injury. Martin Zubimendi stepped in effectively to maintain midfield control.

Areola Keeps Scoreline Respectable

Despite conceding twice, Alphonse Areola made several crucial stops to deny Timber, Viktor Gyökeres, and Saka. Riccardo Calafiori also struck the post in first-half stoppage time. Still, West Ham could not mount a comeback, as Arsenal’s grip on the match remained firm.

The 2-0 win lifts Arsenal to the top of the Premier League with five victories, one loss, and one draw so far this season. West Ham, meanwhile, sit near the bottom with just one win from seven matches under Nuno Espírito Santo.

This result reinforces Arsenal’s title ambitions and resilience in the face of injury setbacks. For West Ham, it means more work is needed to overcome their early-season struggles.

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