Commentary: Arsenal 2 West Ham 0

Last updated: 1st January 2008

Arsenal cele

Arsenal celebrate

90+2 - Full time: Arsenal remain two points clear at the top of the Premier League after brushing aside the Hammers.

90 - Added time: Two additional minutes will be played.

88 - Final switch: Rosicky makes way for Abou Diaby.

82 - Good save: Hleb releases Rosicky, but Green is quickly out and goes down at the midfielder's feet to block.

81 - Gunners cruising: The home side are keeping possession with ease, and Adebayor tries to curl the ball beyond Green from the edge of the area but is unable to get enough bend on the ball.

77 - West Ham switch: With 13 minutes to go, Curbishley finally goes for two up front, as Henri Camara is sent on for Hayden Mullins.

76 - Gunners change: Eboue makes way for Alexander Hleb.

74 - Great ball: Fabregas feeds Clichy who swings over a dangerous cross which Rosicky is unable to convert.

71 - Hammers switch: The hard-working Cole is taken off with Dean Ashton brought on in a bid to unsettle the Arsenal back four.

71 - Just wide: Fabregas clips the ball to Adebayor whose first-time effort clears Green but drifts just wide.

68 - Cole attempt: A long ball up to the West Ham striker sees him in a yard of space outside the box and he attempts a snap-shot which lacks power and direction.

66 - Shot blocked: Adebayor and Fabregas exchange passes with the Spaniard's shot blocked for a corner, which comes to nothing.

63 - Arsenal change: Eduardo goes off to be replaced by youngster Theo Walcott.

62 - Flashed wide: A floated ball into the Arsenal box is only cleared as far as George McCartney, who has just been booked for a trip on Eboue, and the defender steadies himself but fires just wide of the top corner.

60 - Deflected effort: Eduardo sets up Rosicky, who finds Fabregas but the Spaniard's effort is blocked. Mathieu Flamini then shoots from long range and it loops up off a defender and into Green's grateful arms.

59 - Headed wide: Hoyte finds Eboue on the left flank who swings the ball over to the far post where Eduardo heads wide from close range under pressure from Lucas Neill and Ferdinand.

55 - Pace dropped: Arsenal are not attacking with the same verve as the first period and are able to cope with what West Ham have to offer up front.

51 - Slick passing: Adebayor and Rosicky combine with the Czech midfielder sliding the ball into the box towards Eduardo, but Matthew Upson gets in a vital challenge.

46 - Second half: The Hammers get us under way in the second period.

45+2 - Half-time: Foy brings the first period to a close. West Ham have threatened at times, but Arsenal's clinical finishing sees them deservedly in front and in control.

45+2 - Late chance: Cole chases a ball over the top but Almunia is quickly off his line and dives at the striker's feet to thwart the danger.

45 - Added time: Two additional minutes will be played.

44 - Headed wide: Adebayor clips a cross into the box and Eboue gets his head to it but cannot keep the ball on target and it drifts wide of Green's goal.

42 - Penalty appeal: Arsenal are immediately back on the attack and a cross into the box appears to strike Spector's arm, but Foy is again unmoved despite the howls from the home fans.

42 - Hesitancy: A long ball into the Arsenal defence causes confusion between Almunia and his centre-backs, with Pantsil going to ground in the melee, but Foy waves play on.

37 - Ljungberg injury: The pass is the Swede's last act as he injures himself in the process and limps out of the action to warm applause from the home fans, with youngster Jack Collison coming on in his place.

36 - Good tackle: Ljungberg attempts to split the Arsenal defence and find Cole, but Toure slides in to block.

31 - Spectacular effort: Cole crosses into the box from the right and Pantsil goes for goal with an overhead kick from 12 yards out which flies just wide with Almunia struggling.

29 - Talking tactics: A brief break in play as Eboue receives treatment after being caught by Cole allows Alan Curbishley to call over several senior players in a bid to stop West Ham's woes.

23 - Booking: Cole clips Clichy's heels as the young Frenchman surges forward and is issued with a yellow card by referee Chris Foy.

18 - GOAL!! Clichy plays a long ball out of defence which Adebayor races onto, beating West Ham's static centre-backs. The Togo striker rounds Green and then finds the back of the net from an impossible angle via the far post.

17 - Good save: Eboue gives the ball away and Ljungberg combines with Jonathan Spector before the Swede's stinging shot is saved at his near post by Almunia.

15 - Another chance: Arsenal are back on the attack with Eduardo feeding Rosicky, who sees his shot half-blocked and it rolls through to Green.

12 - Off the line: From the resulting corner, Anton Ferdinand is not picked up and Almunia has to scramble the ball off the line before Gallas clears.

12 - Cole chance: Hoyte dallies on the ball and allows Cole to burst into the box, but his shot is deflected wide by Toure.

11 - Fizzed wide: Rosicky receives the ball and plays a deft ball through to Eduardo, but the Croatia international lashes his effort wide of Green's near post.

6 - Just wide: The Hammers launch their first attack and Carlton Cole finds Mark Noble who sees his initial shot blocked before his follow up drifts wide of Manuel Almunia's post.

2 - GOAL!! Cesc Fabregas crosses and Eduardo cushions the ball on his chest before volleying it into the back of the net as the Hammers defence are caught napping.

1 - Early shot: The Gunners are immediately on the attack and a weak clearance allows Adebayor the chance to shoot from outside the box, but his effort is weak and straight at Robert Green.

Kick-off: Arsenal get the match under way.

O'Donnell tribute: Emirates Stadium falls silent for a minute as players, fans and officials pay tribute to the Motherwell captain, who died on Saturday.

West Ham worries: Nolberto Solano missed out with a hamstring problem as did midfielder Scott Parker, so John Pantsil came into the side which beat Manchester United at the weekend. West Ham had two former Gunners - Freddie Ljungberg and Matthew Upson - in the starting line-up.

Gunners changes: Nicklas Bendtner was suspended so Emmanuel Adebayor came in alongside in-form Eduardo. With full-back Bacary Sagna rested, Justin Hoyte came into defence. Emmanuel Eboue returned for his last Premier League game ahead of the African Cup of Nations, while winger Tomas Rosicky also started.

West Ham: Green, Neill, Ferdinand, Upson, McCartney, Pantsil, Mullins, Spector, Noble, Ljungberg, Cole. Subs: Wright, Ashton, Tomkins, Camara, Collison.

Arsenal: Almunia, Hoyte, Toure, Gallas, Clichy, Eboue, Fabregas, Flamini, Rosicky, Eduardo, Adebayor. Subs: Lehmann, Diaby, Hleb, Song Billong, Walcott.

Welcome to skysports.com's live commentary on Arsenal's Premier League clash with West Ham at Emirates Stadium.