WATCH: Impressive Late Surge Sees Arsenal Power Past West Ham
Arsenal produced a stunning late surge to claim a 4-1 victory over West Ham United in the Premier League on Sunday, piling the pressure back on the Hammers to avoid relegation.
After a frustrating first 45 minutes, Nacho Monreal gave the Gunners the lead early in the second half, after slamming home a left footed volley from just inside the penalty area. The Hammers hit back soon after, as Marko Arnautović rifled home after a series of defensive errors from the hosts.
Aaron Ramsey scored to put the hosts 2-1 up late on after a howler of a mistake from Declan Rice, before Alexandre Lacazette assured the three points with a late brace, as West Ham fell apart at the back.
Arsenal started the game brightly, with Ramsey confidently working the ball around the heart of his side's midfield in the glorious London sunshine.
The Gunners had the first chance of the match early on, as Laurent Koscielny out-jumped Cheikhou Kouyaté at a corner to power a towering header just wide of Joe Hart's near post.
Arsène Wenger's side were completely in charge, pressing the Hammers relentlessly to thwart their attempts to build attacking moves. João Mário had his side's first opportunity after ten minutes, as Arsenal were cut apart by a seemingly aimless long ball. However, the Portuguese international's scuffed effort was saved with ease by David Ospina from close range.
The Hammer's tails' were suddenly up, with Arnautović starting to cause the Gunners real problems. The powerful forward found himself through on goal with plenty of time to pick his spot, but his curled effort was palmed away from goal by Ospina at full stretch. Kouyaté then hit the bar with a looping header from a corner, as the visitors continued to impress.
The home side responded well, and began to torment the David Moyes' side's defense with a series of intricate attacking moves around the opposition penalty box. Danny Welbeck pulled back a nicely weighted ball to Héctor Bellerín, who blazed an effort over the bar from the edge of the area. Welbeck then had a chance of his own, drilling a shot just wide from 25 yards out.
Arsenal came agonizingly close to taking the lead on the half hour mark, as Granit Xhaka's arching free kick was pushed clear by Joe Hart. Welbeck then spurned another chance, after mistiming a jump to head well over the bar after impressing wing play from the ever pacy Bellerín. Elneny was stretchered off before the break, after rolling an ankle.
Arsenal came flying out of the traps in the second half, and Nacho Monreal drew a comfortable save from Hart after a sweeping forward move. The Gunners took the lead in emphatic fashion in the 50th minute, as Monreal latched onto a Xhaka corner to fire a left footed volley into the bottom corner beyond Hart.
The Gunners weren't content to rest on their laurels, and began to surge forward in an attempt to capitalize on their opening goal. Ramsey then fired a shot wide from ten yards out, as the pressure began to grow on the visitors' shaky defence. In the 63rd minute West Ham hit back, as Arnautović drilled home a stunning equalizer after Arsenal failed to clear their lines.
Arsenal looked shellshocked, but almost pulled back in front as Xhaka forced Hart into a stunning diving save down low to his left, after unleashing a trademark thunderbolt from 25 yards. Hart came to the rescue again as the game headed into the final ten minutes, sprawling at full stretch to make a finger tip save from Welbeck's beautifully bending strike.
The Hammers then gifted their opponents the lead in the 81st minute, as Declan Rice ducked out of the way of a Ramsey cross, which bent inside Hart's far post - to the England international's clear frustration.
Alexandre Lacazette made it three in the 84th minute, as his deflected effort flew into the net, before he bagged another soon after as West Ham fell to pieces.
The Gunners cruised to a comfortable victory, after again leaving it late to see off an opponent. West Ham should still have enough about them to avoid relegation, but will need to be at their best to avoid any further slip ups and descend into the dreaded bottom three.
