Arsenal climbed to second place in the Premier League table with a thrilling 5-2 victory over London rivals West Ham United at the London Stadium. All seven goals of this pulsating derby were scored during a chaotic first half.

The Gunners raced into a commanding four-goal lead thanks to strikes from Gabriel Magalhães, Leandro Trossard, Martin Ødegaard, and Kai Havertz. However, West Ham – without the banned Julen Lopetegui on the touchline – mounted a brief fightback through Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Emerson Palmieri. Bukayo Saka's second penalty in as many matches ultimately dashed the Hammers' hopes of a remarkable comeback, as Arsenal maintained their scintillating form following the international break.

Returning to the site of their emphatic 6-0 win over David Moyes's side last season, the travelling Arsenal faithful might have felt a sense of déjà vu as Mikel Arteta's men tore apart the hosts in the opening half-hour. Gabriel's trademark headed goal, Trossard's close-range finish, Ødegaard's well-taken penalty, and Havertz's composed strike put Arsenal 4-0 up, leaving West Ham shell-shocked.

However, the hosts showed signs of life late in the first half. Wan-Bissaka and Emerson scored within minutes of each other, giving the home crowd faint hope of a miraculous turnaround. Yet Saka’s calm penalty before the interval restored Arsenal's three-goal cushion, effectively ending the contest.

The second half lacked the drama of the first, with Arsenal managing the game to secure all three points. The victory increases the pressure on Liverpool and Manchester City ahead of their highly anticipated clash at Anfield, while Arsenal have reduced the gap to the league leaders to six points, albeit having played one game more.

As for West Ham, their defensive frailties were glaring during the opening stages, leaving them 14th in the table. Their brief resurgence was not enough to salvage anything from a performance that highlighted their struggles this season.

Gabriel Magalhães Goal (10th minute)

An expertly delivered corner from Bukayo Saka found Gabriel, who made a perfectly timed run into the six-yard box to head home and give Arsenal an early lead.

Leandro Trossard Goal (27th minute)

Martin Ødegaard's sublime lofted pass released Saka, who drilled a low ball across the box. Kai Havertz missed his connection, but Trossard was on hand to slot in Arsenal's second.

Martin Ødegaard Goal (34th minute)

Lucas Paquetá clumsily brought down Saka in the penalty area, and referee Anthony Taylor immediately pointed to the spot. Ødegaard stepped up and confidently dispatched the penalty into the bottom corner, out of Lukasz Fabiański's reach.

Kai Havertz Goal (36th minute)

Capitalising on a defensive mistake by Max Kilman, Havertz found himself one-on-one with Fabiański and finished clinically to make it 4-0.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka Goal (38th minute)

West Ham found a lifeline as Wan-Bissaka beat David Raya at his near post with a well-placed finish after a defence-splitting pass from Carlos Soler.

Emerson Palmieri Goal (40th minute)

Emerson halved Arsenal's advantage with a stunning free kick from 25 yards, curling the ball over the wall and into the top corner via the underside of the bar.

Bukayo Saka Goal (45+5 minute)

Fabiański collided with Gabriel while contesting a corner, prompting Taylor to award Arsenal another penalty. Saka stepped up and converted, despite Fabiański getting a hand to the shot.

Man of the Match: Bukayo Saka

Saka was at the heart of Arsenal’s success, contributing directly to three of their five goals. His precision from corners and penalties, along with his creativity in open play, was instrumental in the Gunners' dominance. However, a knock to his ankle will be a concern ahead of Arsenal’s next match.

Match Statistics

• Possession: West Ham 39% - 61% Arsenal

• Shots: West Ham 11 - 15 Arsenal

• Shots on Target: West Ham 5 - 7 Arsenal

• Corners: West Ham 2 - 10 Arsenal

• Fouls: West Ham 10 - 12 Arsenal

What’s Next?

West Ham will travel to Leicester City on Tuesday evening to face the Foxes in Ruud van Nistelrooy's debut as manager. Meanwhile, Arsenal will host Manchester United in a blockbuster Premier League encounter at the Emirates on Wednesday.