Premier LeagueArsenal 2-0 West Ham United
Saturday, 4th October 2025
by Chris Wilkerson | Forum match thread
West Ham's run of consecutive victories at the Emirates came to an end this sunny October Saturday afternoon as Arsenal came out with a 2-0 win.
An open goal for Declan Rice and a questionable second-half penalty converted by Bukayo Saka were enough to get Arteta's side the three points they unquestionably deserved.The Hammers were outplayed from start to finish by a dominant Arsenal, who controlled possession and kept their visitors pinned to their defensive third for the majority of the game.
There was one change from the draw at Everton, as Aaron Wan-Bissaka replaced Walker-Peters. Arsenal went with an attacking midfield, abandoning their usual physical unit in the middle as Rice held midfield alone, sitting behind Eze and Odegaard.
The Hammers started direct, firing it long from kick-off and winning an early corner. It resulted in their best chance of the half, with Paqueta's whipped delivery curling to the back post, beating Raya's reach for the ball and sailing over the goalkeeper to find Fullkrug.
The big German was wrestling with Saliba and was turned slightly away from goal, which may be why he powered his header over the bar from inside the six-yard box. It landed right on his head, possibly to his surprise, but he could have done better with an effort that met his forehead.
It was an open game for 10 minutes as the sides jostled for their standing. Timber had a chance on five minutes, creeping into space behind Kilman after the centre back made a good challenge on Gyokeres, only for the ball to deflect right back to Odegaard, with the Norwegian instantly sliding a ball through to Timber. His effort was blocked well by Areola.
Eze soon had a shot blocked in the box, and then Mavropanos took a cut to the brow defending a set-piece, but it was just short of 15 minutes when Arsenal should have taken the lead.
Odegaard drifted out to the right and found himself in acres of space as he received and took the ball forward. Saka ran off the shoulder of Diouf, and far too easily was found in behind and in the area. His ball across the face of goal was low, but just behind Gyokeres, who managed to drag a leg to force the ball forward at goal.
A combination of defence and goalkeeper blocked the goal, but it bundled out to Eze, who was in space from eight yards out, only to pass it over the bar with the goal gaping.
The home side lost their captain after Odegaard fouled Summerville and injured his knee, but a pattern to the game had emerged by now. From 15 minutes on, it was all Arsenal.
It looked like they had taken the lead just short of 25 minutes in, with Rice curling a high ball over Diouf for Saka. The Senegalese defender got a head to it, but only to cushion it down for Saka, who controlled and passed the ball across goal into the far corner, only to see the flag raised and offside correctly called.
You could see The Hammers working hard, and whilst there was nothing in the way of an attacking threat, you could credit their commitment to the cause. Summerville followed his man diligently, and you could see the midfield trio working together to pressure the ball in different areas and then follow different players when bursting into their defensive spaces.
What you could fault many on was just being too easy to run in behind. Runners into the corner of the box often drifted away from their man with far too much ease.
At the other end, or at least around halfway, Fullkrug was isolated. He was losing his battles with both Gabriel and Saliba, but was mostly dealing with clearances and loose balls, so cannot be as harshly judged for his lack of impact as last week up at Everton.
Arsenal were knocking at the door. Trossard saw a shot in the box blocked after a clipped cross to Gyokeres went over the lumbering striker, who himself was little better than Beto last week, and found Trossard at the far stick, only to be closed down well.
Moments later, both Eze and Trossard had shots blocked after Areola punched a corner down into his own box, but the resilience was broken a minute later.
Again, an Arsenal player drifted behind his man too easily, Eze running beyond Fernandes and into space without being tracked. Zubimendi rolled it into his path, and Eze gathered and shot as he came into the right side of the box.
His effort across goal was saved, but Areola's reaction stop was given no reward, the ball falling to Rice in the middle of the box unmarked, and the former West Ham captain stayed composed to keep his half volley down and into the back of the empty net to give his side a 1-0 lead.
It came after 20 minutes of continuous pressure, The Hammers basically a team pushed to sit in their own defensive third.
The lead was nearly doubled in stoppage-time. Again, an Arsenal player just dropped behind his opponent, this time it was Timber making a run as Summerville and Fernandes stayed static.
The Dutch winger did well to turn and tackle his compatriot, but his poked clearance only found Calafiori in space at the edge of the area. The left back drilled one with power off his weaker right foot, and it had Areola beaten to his left, only to see the ball ricochet off the post, against the goalkeeper's back, and roll safely enough for Mavropanos to get to the ball first and clear his lines.
It ensured The Hammers stayed within touching distance as the half-time whistle came, a one-goal margin enough to mean that the right delivery from a set-piece or an incisive counter-attack could squeeze a point out of this game.
Arsenal were clearly wise to it, and had no intention of letting the game drift towards a tense and close finale. Coming out from the break, they were back on the attack with the same relentless pressure that had characterised the first half.
They came close to doubling their lead in the opening 10 minutes of it, Rice curling a lovely pass down the left wing that Trossard chased and then fired across the face of goal.
Gyokeres had got ahead of Kilman, but the centre back did just about enough to keep his attention, with a bit of arms and use of the body to distract and slow the striker, who then missed the ball and watched it sail by as he slid on hopelessly.
West Ham were hanging on, and with no out-ball, the manager made two changes, bringing on Potts for Magassa, and handing a first taste of Premier League to Callum Marshall as the Northern Ireland international replaced Fullkrug up front, just past the hour mark.
Unfortunately for them, and anyone of a West Ham persuasion, the game was taken out of their reach five minutes later.
Jurrien Timber flew up the channel once more and got himself in behind Diouf, driving towards the box. The West Ham left back fouled him, bringing him down with a challenge that occurred outside the box. Timber fell into the area, and the referee fell for his fall, turning and pointing to the spot.
His mistake was easier to understand, but as VAR ratified the decision, you'd be right to wonder how they had come to that conclusion. It's not just that contact started outside the box, it's that it was one challenge and one made from outside the area.
Rules change in football, and continuing contact into the area has been around a long while, but this way not a continuing foul. The foul happened, then any contact was minimal and not a continued foul. The Arsenal player had cynically launched himself into the box, a reminder of just why there is no neutral that wants Arteta's side winning a title.
Saka stepped up and duly crashed it into the net, sending Areola the wrong way, and ensuring even then that the three points were going where they clearly deserved to go.
Arsenal relented a little from here. Sure, they still controlled the game, but that intensity was gone. Now it was about easing their way through to the finish, hoping to extend the lead, but comfortable keeping it ticking over, the desperate push no longer necessary.
There was a late chance for Marshall, heading over a Paqueta corner that dropped almost identically to the one in the first minute, this one two minutes into stoppage time, but the young striker headed over after beating Saliba in the air.
It left Nuno's side without a shot on target as the game finished and Arsenal took a win in a game so easy they will barely remember it come May. Having lost points dramatically and painfully in the last two seasons against West Ham at the Emirates, this will be forgotten in a month.
For West Ham, the victory was in not capitulating, and, it can only be hoped, finding some confidence in defending set pieces with much more strength against the team that thrives on them most in the Premier League. Little else was gained.
Manager's Rating
Nuno Espirito Santo: 5/10 The only positives were the discipline the side showed to stick to their defensive work, and an improved defence at corners - although it is worth noting that the manager has stuck with the zonal marking system that many criticised Potter for. There seemed to be no plan of attack, and this was reminiscent of games under Moyes where damage limitation seemed to be all we were there to compete for.
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Click to view all West Ham United vs Arsenal match reports Click to view all match reports by Chris Wilkerson Like to share your thoughts on this article? Please visit the KUMB Forum to leave a comment.Player Ratings
Alphonse AreolaMade a couple good saves, and grew in stature defending the corners. A harsh critic may say he could have pushed the shot further wide that Rice took and scored for the rebound, but a second look will show it was a good save and some bad luck.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka
Struggled to get out and offer anything going forward, although it was interesting to watch how much more he marauds into central areas than Walker-Peters. Whether this is part of Nuno's instructions or just his natural play remains to be seen, and will be worth keeping an eye on.
El Hadji Malick Diouf
A harsh rating, but it felt too easy to get behind him at times. One-on-one with Saka, he was generally fine, and he won't feel bad about his work against one of the best wingers in the league. But with a bit of space behind and limited impact going forward, he's had better showing.
Konstantinos Mavropanos
Probably West Ham's best player. 16 clearances, seemed to really enjoy being better than Gyokeres, and he also kept the ball well.
Max Kilman
Did well against Gyokeres, recovering well when left behind for that early second half chance, and started to showcase that ability to move forward with the ball. It might be that a manager he trusts, who trusts him, is the confidence boost needed to bring his game back to where it should be.
Soungoutou Magassa
The hour of football against such a good team will have done him good, but adapting to the Premier League and then coming up against Arsenal is a harsh lesson. He is just a touch off the pace, not surprisingly, but is showing enough that it's not a case of out of depth.
Mateus Fernandes
Was incredibly busy, making seven tackles, and keeping the ball with 100% of his 35 passes, but was let down a little by how he let people run off his shoulder into dangerous areas.
Lucas Paqueta
A decent performance in the middle, and another reminder that he loves a bit of defensive work and a scrap. Five tackles, delivered two fantastic corners that deserved more, and showed his quality keeping the ball when under pressure, dribbling and passing well.
Crysencio Summerville
Just couldn't show his dribbling and trickery in dangerous areas, but he did track back, sat deep when needed and then carried from his own half.
Jarrod Bowen
Too quiet, even though it is a touch harsh considering his job was more about defence than attack. Didn't get at Calafiori enough, and didn't look dangerous.
Niclas Fullkrug
He was poor, but this time, it was hard for him to do much more. He probably should have scored early on, but after that he was basically just challenging for clearances forward.
Substitutes
Freddie Potts(Magassa 61') Couldn't impose himself on the midfield battle but neither did he look overawed.
Callum Marshall
(Fullkrug 61') A nice run-out for Marshall on his Premier League debut. More of a nuisance than Fullkrug, but not much else as he fought for headers with Saliba and Gabriel.
Kyle Walker-Peters
(Wan-Bissaka 79') A perfectly fine, if non-descript cameo.
Mads Hermansen
Did not play.
Ollie Scarles
Did not play.
Igor Julio
Did not play.
Guido Rodriguez
Did not play.
Luis Guilherme
Did not play.
Callum Wilson
Did not play.
Match Facts
West Ham United: Alphonse Areola, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, El Hadji Malick Diouf, Konstantinos Mavropanos , Max Kilman, Soungoutou Magassa, Mateus Fernandes, Lucas Paqueta, Crysencio Summerville, Jarrod Bowen, Niclas Fullkrug.Goals: None.
Booked: None booked. 0 0 0 0 0 0.
Sent Off: None sent off. 0 0 0.
Arsenal: .
Subs not used: .
Goals: .
Booked: .
Sent off: None.
Referee: .
Attendance: 0.
Man of the Match: .