Arsenal was in high form before the confrontation with West Ham, with a series of 3 consecutive wins. Meanwhile, the home team just suffered a 0-3 defeat against Man Utd. This difference continued to be shown in the confrontation on the evening of February 11.
The two teams entered the match excitedly. The game favored Arsenal thanks to the good ball control ability of Odegaard and his teammates. They created two opportunities to open the score in the 22nd and 23rd minutes, but Leandro Trossard finished poorly.
However, fans of the away team do not have to wait long. In the 32nd minute, from a corner on the left wing, William Saliba headed in to open the score. 9 minutes later, Bukayo Saka doubled the gap from a penalty awarded by the English player.
The 2 goals lost made the West Ham players’ legs feel heavy. They have difficulty launching attacks. The defense also lacks concentration. Before the first half ended, Gabriel Magalhaes and Leandro Trossard scored respectively, helping Arsenal lead 4-0.
Declan Rice did not celebrate after scoring against his former team.
West Ham fans left because they understood that it was very difficult for the home team to turn the game around. Meanwhile, coach Mikel Arteta and his team did not stop with 4 goals. “Gunners” diligently attack.
In the 63rd minute, Bukayo Saka received the ball on the right wing. In a favorable position, this player dribbled the ball inside before finishing, scoring Arsenal’s 5th goal.
2 minutes later, the ball passed back in front of the West Ham penalty area. Declan Rice shot wide left, leaving goalkeeper Alphonse Areola with no chance to block.
At this point, the away team slowed down. Coach Mikel Arteta withdrew his pillars to rest. The match ended with a score of 6-0 in favor of Arsenal.
Winning this match, Arsenal got 52 points, ranked third and 2 points behind the top team, Liverpool. In the next round, Arsenal will be away at Burnley, while West Ham will meet Nottingham Forest.
