Arsenal loses to West Ham to dent Premier League title challenge
The Hindu
Arsenal's title hopes take a hit with a 1-0 loss to West Ham, while United draw 2-2 at Everton.
Arsenal's Premier League title challenge was dented by an unexpected 1-0 home loss to West Ham on Saturday (February 22, 2025) that featured a fifth red card of the season for Mikel Arteta's team.
Second-place Arsenal squandered a chance to trim the gap to Liverpool to five points as Jarrod Bowen's first-half header secured a win for West Ham, which arrived at Emirates Stadium with just one victory in its last eight games.
There was worse to come for Arsenal, with left back Myles Lewis-Skelly handed a red card following a video review for his foul as the last man. The team's disciplinary record under Arteta has come under scrutiny this season — and might yet cost the Gunners the title, along with key injuries to their attack.
With the likes of Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus out injured, Arsenal had only two shots on target against West Ham.
It leaves Liverpool with an eight-point cushion, having played the same number of games as Arsenal, and that advantage could grow when the leaders play Manchester City away on Sunday (February 23, 2025).
Manchester United came from two goals down before benefiting from a last-gasp video-review call to draw 2-2 at Everton.
Uruguay midfielder Manuel Ugarte grabbed the 80th-minute equalizer for United with his first goal at club level in four years, eight minutes after Bruno Fernandes started the visitors’ fightback at Goodison Park by curling in a free kick.