Leandro Trossard's Goal Leads Arsenal To Narrow Victory Over West Ham

 

Arsenal narrowly secured a 1-0 victory over West Ham in a hard-fought match at London Stadium, which was a determinant of the Gunners' lifting the Premier League trophy for the first time since 2004.

West Ham were fighting against relegation as they are 18th with 36 points. The hosts could not afford a defeat, and Arsenal could not either. The Gunners are closely trailed by Manchester City in the race for the Premier League title, and their lead will be sustained by winning at the London Stadium. 

After the first half went goalless, Arsenal rose to the occasion in the closing minutes when a combination of passes from Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard opened West Ham's defense for a strike. In the 83rd minute, the captain advanced towards the box and slipped a pass to Martin Odegaard, who, in turn, slipped the ball over to Trossard inside the box. The winger, on one touch, guided a right-footed shot into the bottom left corner. 

West Ham responded to the deficit by introducing Callum Wilson to replace Axel Disasi. The striker seized a loose ball from a rowdy moment from a free kick to strike home an equaliser. The goal was ruled out due to a foul on David Raya. Arsenal reclaimed the lead and won by a lone goal. 

Arsenal remain at the top of the Premier League with 79 points and five points ahead of the nearest team, Manchester City. With two matches remaining for Arsenal, a loss for Manchester City would mean they have won the trophy if they win against Burnley. 

Overview 

Overall, Arsenal did well enough to win, and West Ham did well enough, but unfortunately lost to the better side. The match was decided on the technicalities deployed by the manager. The changes made by both managers proved effective and produced goals. Unfortunately, Arsenal's goal was convincing while West Ham's was clearly an infringement. 

Defense-wise, Gabriel was a player to praise, blocking a goal-bound effort that could have beaten David Raya to the post. Raya was also a standout performer, saving close-shave efforts to keep Arsenal in the game. 

Team Efficiency

It was an intriguing performance from Arsenal. They started off aggressively, nearly scoring from set pieces, before they began to show fatigue, and West Ham pressed into their half. They missed a glaring chance inside the box as DeClan Rice failed to attempt a shot in a one-on-one with Mads Hermansen. 

The Gunners needed to rediscover themselves by introducing Martin Odeegard and Kai Havertz into the game. West Ham easily intercepted their passes, and they barely stayed in advantageous positions to strike or react to a cross. They looked spent and unwilling toward winning midway through the second half.

However, David Raya's great efforts saved the day for Arsenal. The goalkeeper saved a one-on-one challenge against Matheus Fernandez, and the second time, he was a disputed goal from Wilson, which VAR ruled due to contact from three players, including Mads Hermansen, infringing on his left hand from catching the ball. 

Chances and Assists

The best chance was from West Ham's Fernandez. The attacking midfielder was in an advantageous position with no challenge as he advanced towards David Raya. Though he missed the chance, it was the best chance of the game. The build-up to Arsenal's goal was their best moment. Earlier in the first half, they had a moment from Trossard's header in a set piece.