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Gabriel Martinelli is Arsenal's joint top scorer in the Premier League this season - alongside Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard - after scoring his sixth goalArsenal underlined their title credentials by producing a second-half fightback to beat West Ham and move seven points clear at the top as the Premier League returned after the World Cup.
West Ham took the lead against the run of play when Jarrod Bowen was judged to have been clipped in the box by William Saliba, allowing Said Benrahma to smash a confident penalty down the middle.
There was a mood of frustration among the home fans until Bukayo Saka converted from close range after collecting Martin Odegaard's mis-hit shot.
The equaliser gave increased impetus to the Gunners and another home goal looked increasingly likely.
Five minutes later, it duly arrived. Gabriel Martinelli put the hosts ahead, catching out West Ham's former Gunners keeper Lukasz Fabianski by tucking inside the near post from a tight angle when he looked more likely to cross.
The points were sealed when Eddie Nketiah - starting in place of the injured Gabriel Jesus - spun sharply in the box before firing into the opposite bottom corner.
Arsenal extended their lead at the top over Newcastle, who moved second by beating Leicester earlier on Monday.
Reigning champions Manchester City - who go to Leeds United on Wednesday - are now eight points behind the Gunners.
West Ham are 16th and just a point above the relegation zone after their fourth league defeat in a row.
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Arsenal show progression on Arteta anniversary
Arsenal fans are starting to believe their side can genuinely maintain their push for the club's first title since Arsene Wenger's Invincibles in 2004.
And on a night where legendary manager Wenger watched from the Emirates Stadium stands for the first time since leaving in 2018, Arteta's young side added further encouragement to those who are dreaming of a long-awaited triumph.
The match came on the third anniversary of Arteta's first game as Arsenal manager, and significant progress has been made since then.
When the former Gunners midfielder took over, they were closer to the relegation zone than the top four.
Their current position - and mood around the club - is a stark measure of how they have come.
The Spaniard has built a new team in the past three years which bears little resemblance - in style and substance - to the one picked for his first game at Bournemouth in 2019.
Arteta will not be getting carried after this win over West Ham, especially with several significant fixtures - not least against Manchester City - on the horizon.
But the Gunners sent a message with a clinical second-half performance and the omens are also in their favour.
The team who topped the Premier League table on Christmas Day have gone on to be champions in 10 of the past 13 seasons.
More to follow.
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Arsenal
Squad number1Player nameRamsdale- Squad number4Player nameWhite
- Squad number12Player nameSaliba
- Squad number6Player nameGabriel Magalhães
- Squad number3Player nameTierney
- Squad number8Player nameØdegaard
- Squad number5Player namePartey
Squad number34Player nameXhaka- Squad number7Player nameSaka
- Squad number14Player nameNketiah
- Squad number11Player nameGabriel Martinelli
- Squad number21Player nameFábio Vieira
Squad number25Player nameMohamed Elneny- Squad number35Player nameZinchenko
West Ham United
Squad number1Player nameFabianski
Squad number5Player nameCoufal
Squad number15Player nameDawson
Squad number24Player nameKehrer
Squad number3Player nameCresswell
Squad number28Player nameSoucek
Squad number41Player nameRice
Squad number20Player nameBowen
Squad number11Player nameLucas Paquetá
Squad number22Player nameBenrahma
Squad number9Player nameAntonio
Squad number8Player nameFornals
Squad number72Player nameMubama
Line-ups
Arsenal
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Ramsdale
- 4White
- 12Saliba
- 6Gabriel
- 3TierneySubstituted forZinchenkoat 73'minutes
- 8Ødegaard
- 5ParteySubstituted forElnenyat 90+5'minutes
- 34Xhaka
- 7Saka
- 14Nketiah
- 11MartinelliSubstituted forFábio Vieiraat 88'minutes
Substitutes
- 16Holding
- 17Cédric Soares
- 21Fábio Vieira
- 23Sambi Lokonga
- 25Elneny
- 27Marquinhos
- 30Turner
- 35Zinchenko
- 85Cozier-Duberry
West Ham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Fabianski
- 5CoufalBooked at 44mins
- 15Dawson
- 24Kehrer
- 3Cresswell
- 28SoucekSubstituted forFornalsat 78'minutes
- 41Rice
- 20BowenBooked at 8mins
- 11Lucas Paquetá
- 22Benrahma
- 9AntonioSubstituted forMubamaat 87'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Johnson
- 8Fornals
- 10Lanzini
- 12Downes
- 13Aréola
- 21Ogbonna
- 32Coventry
- 33Emerson
- 72Mubama
Live Text
Match ends, Arsenal 3, West Ham United 1.
Second Half ends, Arsenal 3, West Ham United 1.
Substitution, Arsenal. Mohamed Elneny replaces Thomas Partey.
Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Aaron Ramsdale.
Attempt saved. Pablo Fornals (West Ham United) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Saïd Benrahma.
Attempt missed. Lucas Paquetá (West Ham United) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Declan Rice following a corner.
Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Ben White.
Foul by Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal).
Divin Mubama (West Ham United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Substitution, Arsenal. Fábio Vieira replaces Gabriel Martinelli.
Granit Xhaka (Arsenal) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Declan Rice (West Ham United).
Substitution, West Ham United. Divin Mubama replaces Michail Antonio.
Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Lukasz Fabianski.
Attempt saved. William Saliba (Arsenal) header from very close range is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Bukayo Saka with a cross.
Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Craig Dawson.
Attempt blocked. Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Bukayo Saka.
Attempt missed. Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left.
Foul by Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal).
Vladimír Coufal (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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