Arsenal’s 15-game unbeaten streak in the Premier League came to an end as West Ham United prevented them from closing the gap on league leaders Liverpool.
With Liverpool dropping points in two of their last three matches and facing Manchester City—where they haven’t won in a decade—this was a prime opportunity for Arsenal to apply pressure. However, they failed to capitalize.
Jarrod Bowen scored the decisive goal late in the first half, initiating a counter-attack from the edge of his own box before heading in Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s cross. Arsenal, with Mikel Merino leading the line, struggled to find a way back. Their task became even harder when substitute Myles Lewis-Skelly was sent off just 17 minutes after coming on, bringing down Mohammed Kudus and denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity.
As a result, Arsenal remain eight points behind Liverpool.
Arsenal’s Lack of Composure Proves Costly
Arsenal must avoid desperation when things don’t go their way immediately. There was visible tension at the Emirates when the game remained goalless after 30 minutes, leading to an overly aggressive attacking approach.
Instead of staying composed, they got caught up in the moment, leaving themselves vulnerable to counter-attacks—such as Wan-Bissaka’s runs in the first half—and later to Lewis-Skelly’s red card. As the match progressed, poor decision-making further hindered their performance.
Having been in title races before, Arsenal should have displayed more patience rather than revealing their attacking hand too early. A more measured approach might have yielded a better outcome.
Why Was Lewis-Skelly Sent Off?
Mikel Arteta’s decision to replace Riccardo Calafiori with Lewis-Skelly was logical, given Calafiori’s defensive struggles. However, Lewis-Skelly found himself in a difficult position when Kudus broke free at midfield. Most defenders in his situation would have made the same challenge to prevent a goal-scoring chance.
Initially shown a yellow card, Lewis-Skelly’s foul was reviewed by VAR. Since no covering defenders were present and goalkeeper David Raya was off his line, the referee upgraded the card to a red for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity.
As a result, Lewis-Skelly is expected to serve a one-game suspension, meaning he will miss Arsenal’s upcoming fixture against Nottingham Forest. His absence could be a setback, as he would have been a useful defensive option against Forest’s pacey winger Anthony Elanga. Calafiori will likely start at left-back but must improve after his struggles against West Ham.
Merino’s Role and Tactical Adjustments
Despite scoring twice against Leicester City the previous week, Merino’s inclusion as Arsenal’s striker was not guaranteed. While he started well, linking up play and contesting aerial duels, West Ham’s deep defensive setup limited his chances.
With West Ham comfortably keeping Arsenal at bay, Arteta made tactical changes, including introducing Oleksandr Zinchenko for Declan Rice in midfield. Rice had been making promising runs but was not found by his teammates. However, Zinchenko’s impact was minimal, especially after Arsenal went down to ten men.
Ultimately, West Ham’s defensive discipline and well-executed counter-attacks proved too much for Arsenal, who must now regroup as they continue their title chase.
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