Match report and free highlights as Gabriel Martinelli and Emile Smith Rowe score for another Arsenal home win; Arsenal now into top four at West Ham's expense; Hammers had Vladimir Coufal controversially sent off as Alexandre Lacazette missed penalty
Thursday 16 December 2021 11:33, UK
Arsenal moved into the top four for the first time this season as goals from young stars Gabriel Martinelli and Emile Smith Rowe gave them a 2-0 win over 10-man West Ham.
Arsenal, captained by Alexandre Lacazette again, had more clear-cut chances in the first half; Kieran Tierney saw his long-range effort tipped onto the bar by Lukasz Fabianski, while Gabriel Martinelli nearly turned home ahead of the West Ham goalkeeper from a rebound.
But Martinelli made up for that miss minutes after the restart, finishing coolly past Fabianski from a threaded Lacazette through ball (48), before drama with 20 minutes remaining as Vladimir Coufal saw red for a second yellow, fouling Lacazette in the box (69). Anthony Taylor awarded the penalty, a decision West Ham boss David Moyes had few complaints about after the game, but Fabianski saved well from Lacazette.
Sub Emile Smith Rowe made sure of the victory late on, slotting bottom right after a fine break (87) after being fed by the brilliant Bukayo Saka, a goal made in the Arsenal academy. Ten of Arsenal's 23 Premier League goals this season have been scored by players aged 21 or younger, the most by any team this season.
The result continues Arsenal's fine home form - they've won eight of their last nine in all competitions at the Emirates, and have the joint-best home record in the Premier League - and moves them into the Champions League spots for the first time this season. They replaced West Ham in the top four, with the Hammers winning just one of their last six in the Premier League.
Mikel Arteta showed his ruthless edge by stripping Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang of the captaincy the day before the game following a disciplinary breach, and went with the same starting XI for the third straight game, the first time Arsenal have done so since April 2016 under Arsene Wenger.
After the game, Arteta refused to reveal whether Aubameyang would play in Arsenal's next fixture against Leeds on Saturday, live on Sky Sports, telling BT Sport: "We will talk about that another day. He wasn't eligible for this game and this game is gone now."
Lacazette, who coincidentally took part in an in-depth interview centred around leadership in the matchday programme, was named skipper again, and that remained the only real talking point for 40 first-half minutes of nervy and rather listless football.
Pablo Fornals had the first real opening, curling inches wide as the ball broke to him on the edge of the box, but Arsenal found rhythm and carved out several good chances before half-time.
Bukayo Saka was causing havoc down the right, combining with Martin Odegaard to feed Granit Xhaka; his show was blocked heroically by Craig Dawson, before Tierney's crashing half volley from outside the box was tipped onto the bar by Fabianski.
Fabianski then could only parry away Lacazette's drive from the edge to Martinelli, but the Brazilian only half committed to throwing himself into the rebound under pressure from both the goalkeeper and Dawson, turning wide.
West Ham desperately wanted the break, Arsenal perhaps didn't, but half-time proved to be only a brief reprieve as the hosts came out firing after the restart.
They took the lead as Lacazette spotted a chasm in the West Ham defence, threading a perfect through ball through to Martinelli. The striker composed himself and slotted bottom right for his second Premier League goal of the season.
Arsenal briefly turned on the style - a Martinelli nutmeg on Tomas Soucek and turn of pace from the brilliant Saka was cheered like a goal at the Emirates - but West Ham nearly quietened the home fans down instantly as Aaron Ramsdale superbly tipped away Jarrod Bowen's deflected effort.
The game opened up massively, and Arsenal were making the most of the gaps appearing in both final thirds. They won a penalty, albeit controversially, midway through the second half, as Coufal slid in on Lacazette in the box; he made a slight contact with the ball first, then Lacazette, but it was enough for Taylor to award.
Coufal saw red for a second yellow, and though Fabianski saved to his left from Lacazette's spot-kick, West Ham players felt harshly treated with the numerical disadvantage.
Moyes, however, was more balanced after the game, saying: "I thought he should have got more of the ball, he should have tapped the ball away. The timing of it means he catches the top of the ball and followed through. I think that's the reason the referee had to think about a decision. We made a mess of it to get to that point."
Arsenal should have wrapped it up with 10 minutes remaining - Saka's shot from Tierney's centre was somehow blocked by Issa Diop - but they did get their two-goal cushion with a move made at the Hale End Academy.
After receiving the ball from Saka, sub Smith Rowe drove towards the box, and found the smallest of gaps between Diop's legs and into the bottom right corner of the net.
West Ham, who have taken just five points out of a possible 18, can point to the debatable decision to send Coufal off, but Arsenal were deserved of their victory, as Arteta begins to make The Emirates a fortress in their quest for a first top-four finish since 2016.
DERMOT VERDICT: Coufal should not have been sent off.
DERMOT SAYS: "For his first yellow card, it's a flailing arm from Coufal into Kieran Tierney. That's all it is but it's a yellow card. That is not a red card as he doesn't use his arm as a weapon. He doesn't throw it back. So I think Anthony Taylor makes the right decision.
"For the second yellow card and therefore a red, it's a massive controversial decision. It's a very debateable decision and for me I feel he's very, very unlucky to be giving the penalty away. What Anthony Taylor sees on the field, he sees Coufal get the top of the ball and the player then goes through and catches Lacazette on the shin.
"That's what he sees and that's what he makes his judgment on. I don't think he sees that a) he gets the ball and b) he gets the ball a second time with his trailing leg, which is why the ball goes to the left. The referee thought this through and ran it through his mind.
"The VAR then looks at it [Peter Bankes], and he thinks that because Anthony Taylor has given the penalty, he also believes he's got the top of the ball and then caught Lacazette. The VAR can't then intervene and can't turn it down.
"For me, it's not a second yellow and therefore it's not a red card. The reason I say that is because I've got the luxury of looking at the pictures. I thought the penalty was so dubious myself, that's why I think it's not a red card. The vagueness of the system is that once you've awarded the penalty, he's got the perception that it's a reckless challenge and therefore a second yellow card.
"Ultimately, he pays the price for the flailing arm on Tierney."
Why didn't Anthony Taylor go to the pitchside monitor?
DERMOT SAYS: "He can only go to the screen for the penalty judgement. He would have spoken to Peter Bankes about whether or not it was a penalty. They will have had this conversation and Anthony Taylor will have said that he felt it was a reckless challenge because he got the ball but he also took the player.
"The pictures do actually show that so you can't turn that down. That is where the VAR backs off, and regarding the red card, VAR can't intervene because the challenge was technically classed as a second yellow card. So the on-field decision has to stand."
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta: "I think [the young players] were really good, all of them, and the senior players led by example. We had some sound performances needed to beat this team. I am really pleased. It's important for Gabi [Martinelli] to score a goal like he did today.
"It helps because they know each other, some of them are from the academy, and the chemistry is there. I really like the link and the senior players are contributing and really enjoy helping the boys raise.
"The league finishes in May. Obviously it's much better than where we were, but we want to be higher. This league is absolutely ruthless. Tomorrow is different.
"We are building a project, and to build a project without the people we play for is impossible. They are the biggest pillar to the project. When they are with us and the team grabs that pillar, we can be really strong, so I am really pleased with that."
On Aubameyang, and whether he would play in the next game, Arteta told BT Sport: "We will talk about that another day. He wasn't eligible for this game and this game is gone now."
West Ham boss David Moyes on the penalty and red card: "I thought he should have got more of the ball. He should have tapped the ball away. The timing of it means he catches the top of the ball and followed through. I think that's the reason the referee had to think about a decision. We made a mess of it to get to that point. I thought Vladimir could have got more of the ball. We gave the ref an opportunity to choose a decision.
On the January transfer window: "I don't know if we'll be busy, but I'd like to try and add to it. I have no idea if we'll be busy."
Arsenal travel to Leeds on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Premier League; kick-off 5.30pm. Meanwhile, West Ham host Norwich, also on Saturday; kick-off 3pm.
