Arsenal vs West Ham United. Premier League.
Emirates StadiumAttendance59,830.
Highlights and report as Nacho Monreal, Issa Diop own goal and Danny Welbeck seal the victory
Saturday 25 August 2018 19:58, UK
Unai Emery got his first win as Arsenal manager as the Gunners beat West Ham 3-1 in the Premier League on Saturday.
West Ham may feel their performance deserved a point as they went ahead in the 25th minute with Marko Arnautovic firing home from the edge of the area.
Arsenal were level five minutes later as Nacho Monreal slotted home before West Ham defender Issa Diop (70) saw the ball strike his midriff from an Alexandre Lacazette cross and go in.
Danny Welbeck then sealed the result the second minute of added time, given plenty of space to slot home from a Hector Bellerin delivery as West Ham suffered three opening Premier League defeats for the second season in a row.
Arsenal thought they had taken an early lead in the 12th minute, but Aaron Ramsey's header was ruled out for offside. The Welshman picked out Bellerin on the right flank, before the defender cut back for Henrikh Mkhitaryan. His effort was saved but Ramsey was there to head in the rebound, but the offside flag was raised.
It was West Ham who made the breakthrough in the 25th minute. Felipe Anderson strode down the field before playing a neat give-and-go with Arnautovic at the top of the box. The striker then took a touch to get the ball past Sokratis and fire home into the bottom corner.
But the lead did not last for long as Arsenal equalised five minutes later. Mkhitaryan picked out a superb run from Bellerin down the right of the area and found Monreal, who had time to take a touch before sweeping past goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.
The second half began at a pace, with Fabianksi called into action inside three minutes to keep out a Shkodran Mustafi header before Arnautovic's half-volley from an Anderson cross was saved well by Petr Cech.
It was some bad West Ham luck that saw Arsenal take the lead in the 70th minute. The Hammers failed to clear an Arsenal attack, allowing Ramsey to head the ball back into the area. Lacazette held off Carlos Sanchez before slotting the ball across - intended for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - but Diop was ahead of the striker to see the ball unwittingly turned home off his midriff.
Substitute Welbeck sealed the victory for Emery in the second minute of added time after Bellerin put the ball into the area through the legs of Arthur Masuaku, allowing the striker - in plenty of space - to slot home and give Arsenal their first three points of the season.
Ramsey was back in the starting XI after being dropped against Chelsea, replacing Mesut Ozil, and it was a solid performance from the Welshman in midfield. He was involved in plenty of the good, passing moves from Arsenal and could even have nabbed a goal if he had not have been offside. Should Ozil return for next weekend's game against Cardiff, Emery will have some tough decisions to make.
Perhaps for a few minor incidents. Mkhitaryan's free-kick in the 43rd minute hammered into the West Ham wall and there were some calls for a handball, but nothing was given by referee Graham Scott. There was another half penalty appeal in the 79th minute as Fabian Balbuena appeared to be holding back Danny Welbeck in the box, sending him to ground, but again, the appeals went unanswered.
Arsenal will be live on Sky Sports next weekend when they travel to Cardiff in the Premier League on Renault Super Sunday. West Ham will be in action in midweek when they face AFC Wimbledon in the Carabao Cup live on Sky Sports Football before welcoming Wolves to the London Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday.
