Rice and Saka Strike as Arsenal Subdue West Ham on Arteta’s 300th
On a landmark afternoon for Mikel Arteta's 300th match in charge, Arsenal eased past West Ham 2-0 to move top of the Premier League. Declan Rice broke the deadlock against his former club, steering in after Alphonse Areola parried Eberechi Eze's effort, before Bukayo Saka sealed the result from the spot after Jurrien Timber was fouled by El Hadji Malick Diouf.
Arsenal dictated the tempo for long stretches, restricting Nuno Espírito Santo’s side to fleeting moments and an early Niclas Füllkrug header off a corner. The victory carried a note of concern, however, with Martin Ødegaard forced off before the interval with a knee problem and Rice later requesting to come off due to back pain.
Bold selection, early setback, seamless reshuffle