Arsenal Fightback Denies West Ham In Six-goal Thriller
By AFP
Arsenal came from 3-0 down to claim a 3-3 draw at West Ham on Sunday, but a share of the points from a thrilling encounter did little for either side’s hopes of a top-four Premier League finish.
A blistering start from the Hammers had them three goals up inside 32 minutes thanks to goals from Jesse Lingard, Jarrod Bowen and Tomas Soucek.
But own goals from Soucek and Craig Dawson cut Arsenal’s deficit before Alexandre Lacazette’s header rescued a point eight minutes from time.
West Ham remain in fifth, but are two points adrift of fourth-placed Chelsea.
Arsenal’s realistic hopes of Champions League football next season now hinge on success in the Europa League as they are nine points adrift of the top four down in ninth.
Mikel Arteta’s men suffered a hangover from their European exertions in midweek as they progressed to the quarter-finals despite a 1-0 home defeat by Olympiakos.
West Ham took full advantage of a sluggish start from the visitors.
Lingard was recalled to the England squad by Gareth Southgate for his fine form since joining on loan from Manchester United in January.
The midfielder smashed into the top corner from just outside the box for his fifth goal in seven games for the Hammers.
Two minutes later, Lingard’s quick thinking created the second for David Moyes’s men as his free-kick caught Arsenal napping and Bowen beat Bernd Leno at his near post.
The Gunners were all over the place defensively in the opening half-hour and were caught out again when Michail Antonio’s header was deflected in by Soucek.
West Ham were cruising towards three points which would have brought them level on points with Chelsea at that stage.
However, Arsenal awakened from their slumber before the break.
Soucek was credited with a deflected goal at both ends as Lacazette’s fierce strike flicked off the Czech and high beyond former Arsenal goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.
Bukayo Saka then fired too close to the Polish international moments later with the chance to pull back another goal.
Instead, it was another West Ham mistake which got Arsenal right back in the game just after the hour mark as Dawson diverted Calum Chambers’s driven cross into his own net.
The home side were penned back inside their own box for much of the second period, but still had two clear chances to seal victory on the break.