West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen delivers major blow to Arsenal’s title hopes

So it turns out Arsenal should have signed a striker. Fourteen months after they last put a major dent in Arsenal’s title aspirations, a goal from Jarrod Bowen secured West Ham’s second successive Premier League away win over their north London rivals as Mikel Arteta’s side saw their hopes of maintaining the pressure on leaders Liverpool evaporate.

To compound Arteta’s misery, substitute Myles Lewis-Skelly was shown a straight red card in the second half as Arsenal – who had toiled with Mikel Merino again filling in as a makeshift attacker – struggled to find an equaliser against a defence that would have done Graham Potter’s predecessor, David Moyes, proud. Yet while this was a welcome triumph for Potter, it also laid bare the deficiencies in Arsenal’s squad caused by so many injuries to forward players that has made their task of overhauling Arne Slot’s side almost impossible. A first defeat in 15 games – a run that had stretched back to the start of November – almost leaves them needing snookers, regardless of the fact Liverpool have to play Manchester City and Newcastle in their next two matches.

Arteta had kept his cards close to his chest over whether Merino would start after his heroics off the bench against last week Leicester and it still was a damning snub – if unsurprising given his struggles of late – for Raheem Sterling to be the player who made way. The Euro 2024 winner has had mixed success since joining in August for €32m from Real Sociedad and hadn’t been selected in a Premier League line-up since playing in his more conventional midfield role against Aston Villa here five weeks ago that saw Arsenal surrender a 2-0 lead. It was a measure of his sudden importance that Merino’s name received an extra loud cheer when it was read out before kick-off, although his performance didn’t live up to the hype.

Potter insisted this week that there has been an increase in intensity on the training pitch since he succeeded Julen Lopetegui last month, even if results on the pitch have been disappointing. Four points from his first five league matches and an early exit from the FA Cup was hardly the start the former Chelsea and Brighton manager would have hoped for. But he got the response he wanted here in a committed defensive display that saw them take a surprise lead during the first half.

Teenager Ollie Scarles was one of four changes for their defeat at home to Brentford last week and he managed to keep Ethan Nwaneri largely quiet on his first Premier League start at left wing-back at the ground where he helped West Ham win the FA Youth Cup two years ago. Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly both also played in Arsenal’s 5-1 thumping that night and have already progressed to become key members of Arsenal’s title challenge, although Riccardo Calafiori was preferred to the latter at left-back.

The Italian was involved in an early move that saw Leandro Trossard whip in a dangerous ball to the near post and all three of West Ham’s central defenders were fortunate there was no one attacking the six-yard box. While he doesn’t look like a natural No 9, at least Merino gave Arsenal’s attack a focal point as Calafiori’s drive stung the gloves of Alphonse Areola midway through the first half.

West Ham’s only sight of goal until then had been a Tomas Soucek header that just cleared the crossbar after he was picked out by James Ward-Prowse. A surging run down the right flank from Aaron Wan-Bissaka set up Bowen but he could not direct his shot on target with his right foot.

Arsenal did not heed their warning and disaster struck on the stroke of half-time when they lost the ball on the edge of West Ham’s area. Bowen fed Wan-Bissaka and the next time the West Ham captain touched the ball it was to guide his header into an empty net to leave an already jittery home crowd fearing the worst.

Arteta increasingly bore the expression of a manager who knew his opportunity was quickly slipping away and it took only 10 minutes of the second half for him to act. Bowen was inches away from doubling West Ham’s lead just as Lewis-Skelly and Oleksandr Zinchenko were about to come on and the decision to withdraw their former captain Declan Rice only increased the volume in the jubilant away end. “You should have signed for a big club,” they sang as Rice trudged off.

Sign up to Football Daily. Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football. after newsletter promotion. Zinchenko’s last league appearance came in the win over Tottenham here last month but suddenly the Ukrainian was thrust into an attacking midfield role and only a block from Soucek denied his goalbound shot before Areola saved well from Trossard.

Lewis-Skelly initially seemed to have earned a reprieve when he brought down a flying Mohammed Kudus on the halfway line but VAR had other ideas and West Ham were able to see out their victory with relative ease as many of the home fans slipped away before the final whistle to drown their sorrows.