By Abiola Olawale
Arsenal’s Premier League title aspirations took a hit as they suffered a shock 1-0 defeat to West Ham United at the Emirates Stadium.
The loss ended the Gunners’ 15-game unbeaten run in the league and left them trailing league leaders Liverpool by eight points, with the Reds set to face Manchester City on Sunday.
The match turned on a pivotal moment just before halftime when West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen capitalized on a precise cross from Aaron Wan-Bissaka, heading the ball past Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya to secure the only goal of the game.
Despite dominating possession and creating several chances, Arsenal struggled to convert their opportunities into goals.
The situation worsened in the 73rd minute when substitute Myles Lewis-Skelly was sent off after a VAR review upgraded his initial yellow card to a red for denying Mohammed Kudus a clear goalscoring opportunity.
Down to ten men, Arsenal’s hopes of a comeback faded, and West Ham held firm to secure a rare victory at the Emirates, their second consecutive away win against the Gunners.
This defeat marked Arsenal’s first league loss since November when they fell to Newcastle
Meanwhile, West Ham, under Graham Potter, celebrated just their second win in seven games, with Bowen’s clinical finish proving decisive in a vintage counter-attacking display.
