Assessment of Players' Performance as West Ham Shatter Arsenal's Championship Aspirations

In the first Premier League win at the Emirates Stadium since 2015, West Ham shocked Arsenal with a 2-0 triumph in a London derby match on Thursday evening, fracturing Arsenal's prospects for the title.

The chaos in Arsenal's box culminated with Tomas Soucek scoring the first point, followed by Konstantinos Mavropanos doubling the Hammers' lead off James Ward-Prowse's corner.

Even with enticing opportunities from Leandro Trossard, Bukayo Saka, and Gabriel Jesus, the Gunners couldn't return, resulting in a two-point lead for Liverpool on top of the table after Gameweek 19.

West Ham showed offensive determination from the start, with Ward-Prowse shooting towards goal from 20 yards. His attempt skimmed over David Raya's goal.

With effective teamwork, Ben White, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard facilitated Arteta's squad to create their first meaningful chance. The ball fell towards Bukayo Saka, whose straight shot at Alphonse Areola left much to be desired.

Despite being against the tide, West Ham's vigorous strategy paid off as confusion in the home box allowed Soucek a shot at the goal. It echoed their victory over the other North London team, Tottenham.

Emerson Palmieri's cross hit two defenders, the ball deflecting towards Jarrod Bowen who then back passed to Soucek for an assertive strike. The VAR verification process took too long while affirming the ball remained on the pitch. Ultimately, the goal was confirmed.

Before Thursday, Arsenal had gone unbeaten at home during the 2023/24 league season and continued to create chances, including a header from Saka forcing Areola into a stunning save.

Lucas Paqueta's injury led to West Ham losing their star Brazilian player while the Gunners tried to even the score. A missed opportunity included a botched shot by Odegaard, followed by misses by both Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli.

A clever ball slipped from Odegaard put Saka ahead to face Areola. Despite an inaccurate touch, Saka managed to hit the post before Trossard misfired the rebound.

Initiating a counter with Trossard, Declan Rice's ambitious long shot just tipped over the bar, narrowly missing a potential goal against his old club.

Wastefulness in front of the net proved costly for Arsenal as Mavropanos, a former player, amplified West Ham's dominance. David Moyes' squad took advantage of another golden chance, with Ward-Prowse's corner converting into a powerful goal from Mavropanos.

West Ham's recent form has been phenomenal, securing wins against Spurs and Manchester United. However, despite big losses to Fulham and Liverpool, their solid defending couldn't be denied as they secured all three points in this game's second half.

Despite several attempts, Saka's headers for Arsenal were all collected by Areola. The Gunners continued to miss opportunities, failing to find a way back into the match

Instead, the best opportunity for a third goal fell to West Ham. Emerson was tripped by Rice, offering a penalty to his old team. Nonetheless, goalkeeper Raya managed to block Said Benrahma's weak attempt, emblematic of his most rewarding moment with Arsenal yet.

That marked the final significant moment, leaving Arsenal trailing Liverpool by two points. On the other hand, West Ham advanced to sixth in the standings.