In what was supposed to be a crucial match for Arsenal to defend their spot at the top of the Premier League, the Gunners suffered a huge setback against West Ham United, as they blew a two-goal lead to end up with a 2-2 draw. The match had “huge implications for the title race” (The Guardian) and “another blow in their quest for the Premier League title” (CBS Sports).
West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen completed a two-goal fightback (The Guardian) in a performance that Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta described as “sloppy” (The Telegraph). This is the second game in a row Arsenal has lost a two-goal lead, drawing 2-2 with West Ham United at the London Stadium (The Athletic). The Gunners have now dropped points after leading 2-0 for two straight matches, with their title hopes taking a hit after yet another blown lead (CBS Sports).
Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka missed a penalty that would have given his team a cushion, as the visitors seemed to be in control of the game. However, they failed to cement their hold on the match, allowing West Ham to come back and deny them of victory. Arteta expressed his frustration with his players after the game, saying “they were not good enough” (The Mirror).
The result is a major setback for Arsenal, who are now just one point ahead of Manchester City in the Premier League title race. Arsenal was hoping to protect their lead in the race when they visited relegation-threatened West Ham in east London. However, the result leaves them with a lot of work to do in their campaign for a league title (NBC Sports’ ProSoccerTalk).
This draw against West Ham has led to concerns within the Arsenal supporters, with some feeling that the team was smacked with “arrogance” (Football.London). The mood was made worse as Arsenal’s other title contenders continued to gather points with victories from other fixtures, increasing the pressure for Arteta’s team to perform.
Arsenal will need to regroup quickly and return to form as they face an upcoming series of critical fixtures that includes Liverpool, Villarreal, and others. It is uncertain if they will be able to bounce back from this loss, but they will need to do so if they want to remain in the title race and challenge Manchester City for the top spot.
