Arsenal’s Premier League title charge has seen a spanner thrown in the wheel as Jarrod Bowen’s milestone goal earned visiting West Ham United a 1-0 win at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
The Gunners went into the game on the back of a 15-game unbeaten home run in the Premier League, but all that came to an end in brutal fashion courtesy of Jarrod Bowen’s first half goal and 50th in the league for the Hammers.
Mikel Arteta’s side lacked energy early on in what was a poor first-half performance, with their best chance coming through defender Riccardo Calafiori in what would be Arsenal’s only shot on target in the opening 45 minutes.
The visitors put up a few chances of their own, with Tomas Soucek flashing a couple of headers wide while Bowen also skewed Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s cut-back just past the post. That combination would not miss at the next time of asking, with Bowen finding the back of the net with a diving header just before half-time.
Bowen almost doubled his tally a few minutes into the second half, when he almost made contact with a dangerous ball that flashed across goal.
Meanwhile, Arsenal tried to find the leveller but Leandro Trossard’s effort was well-saved by the outstretched leg of West Ham keeper Alphonse Areola.
Things soon turned worse for Mikel Arteta’s side in the 70th minute, as substitute Myles Lewis-Skelly was shown his marching orders after the academy graduate brought down Mohammed Kudus on the half-way line as the last man, and an initial yellow card was turned into red following a VAR review.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Arsenal poured forward in search of the equaliser but in the end, it was a deserved win for Graham Potter’s men who picked up just a second victory in eight away matches.
As for Arsenal, they remain eight points adrift of leaders Liverpool who play Manchester City on Sunday and can stretch their advantage to eleven points if victorious at the Etihad.