Alexis Sanchez nets hat trick as Arsenal thrashes West Ham; more EPL results
LONDON (AP) — Alexis Sanchez produced a stunning second-half hat trick in 15 minutes as Arsenal cruised to a 5-1 victory over struggling West Ham on Saturday in the Premier League.
Sanchez's hat trick, along with goals from Mesut Oziland Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, ensured Arsene Wenger's side kept in touch with league leaders Chelsea.
A fifth consecutive Premier League match without victory will increase the pressure on West Ham manager Slaven Bilic, but his side's toothless performance against a London rival may annoy him even more than the result.
The visitors were afforded too much space in the final third from the outset at the London Stadium, with West Ham not helped by James Collins' muscle injury forcing the introduction of Alvaro Arbeloa after just seven minutes.
Arsenal wasted a handful of opportunities in the opening stages, before the ever-reliable duo of Sanchez and Ozil produced the decisive contributions.
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Chile forward Sanchez raced through before squaring for Ozil to tap home in the 24th.
Arsenal was never taken out of its comfort zone before Sanchez produced a moment of magic to double the lead in the 72nd.
The striker received the ball outside the box on the left with little danger apparent before spinning Arthur Masuaku, skipping away from Angelo Ogbonna and driving low past West Ham goalkeeper Darren Randolph into the bottom corner.
Sanchez's first strike triggered a spate of five goals in 15 minutes, as he beat the helpless Randolph once more with unerring accuracy as the ball fell to him on the edge of the box in the 80th.
Just three minutes later Andy Carroll grabbed a consolation on his return from injury before Oxlade-Chamberlain got in on the act, curling the ball in from outside the box for 4-1.
Sanchez had the final word as he completed his hat trick with a sublime dummy and dinked finish to move Arsenal up to second in the Premier League, three points behind Chelsea.
Tottenham thrashes Swansea
LONDON (AP) — Harry Kane and Christian Eriksenboth scored twice as Tottenham thrashed Swansea 5-0 in the Premier League on Saturday, dealing the Welsh club its heaviest loss under new manager Bob Bradley.
Kane ended a week in which he signed a new 5-1/2 year deal with Spurs by scoring either side of Son Heung-min's acrobatic strike. The hosts were 3-0 up after 49 minutes at White Hart Lane.
Eriksen rounded off a convincing win with goals in the 70th minute and then in injury time for fifth-placed Tottenham.
Swansea dropped back to the bottom of the standings, a week after picking up its first win under American coach Bradley.
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Leicester continues to stumble
SUNDERLAND, England (AP) — Leicester lost for the seventh time in 14 matches of its stumbling Premier League title defense, slumping to a 2-1 defeat at Sunderland on Saturday.
Jermain Defoe's eighth goal of the season ultimately condemned Leicester to its latest loss that kept the champions two points above the bottom three.
Defoe struck in the 77th minute after Robert Huth's own goal gave the home side the lead at Stadium of Light in the 64th.
Substitute Shinji Okazaki pulled a goal back for the visitors in the 80th, which still cannot transfer its Champions League form to the Premier League. Leicester has qualified for the knockout stage of its first Champions League campaign with a group game to spare.
