This was supposed to the Christmas that saw Arsenal put the squeeze on Manchester City, a time to put clear air between themselves and Pep Guardiola’s team while the Premier League champions were otherwise disposed in the middle east.
But while City have been winning the Club World Cup and returning to down Everton at Goodison Park, Arsenal will head towards New Year on a run of four points from four games.
Daylight? If City win their game in hand they will actually be ahead of Arsenal on goal difference.
What a time for Mikel Arteta’s team to flatline. What damage this could yet do to a season that has so much to offer them. This desperate result may serve to strengthen Arteta’s hand in the January transfer window. Goodness me, he needs a centre forward. But, that apart, this was a night to suffer, a night when old failings surfaced. Too much football and not enough product. Too brittle at the back where central defender Gabriel was culpable for both West Ham goals. Ouch.
West Ham, for their part, were magnificent and now sit sixth in the table only four points from a Champions League place. Missing key players and losing their master craftsman Lucas Paqueta to a calf injury after half an hour, they won this through a goal in each half from Tomas Soucek and the Greek central defender Konstantinos Mavropanos.
Konstantinos Mavropanos, centre left, scored on his return to Arsenal to secure a 2-0 victory
Tomas Soucek’s opener was awarded after VAR was unable to prove the ball crossed the byline
Jarrod Bowen crossed for Soucek to score with Arsenal appealing the ball had crossed the line
Their manager David Moyes looked vaguely emotional at the end and no wonder. As it stands he will…