With a dazzling 5-2 victory over West Ham, Arsenal rekindled their title challenge and moved into second place in the Premier League.
Five goals from Mikel Arteta’s team’s raging first half at the London Stadium put them six points behind leaders Liverpool, who will play spluttering champions Manchester City on Sunday.
Arsenal’s lead was extended by Leandro Trossard after Gabriel Magalhaes opened the floodgates with an early strike.

Kai Havertz scored his tenth goal of the season after Martin Odegaard’s penalty.
West Ham’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Emerson scored quickly after each other, but the Arsenal forward’s magnificent display was capped by Bukayo Saka’s penalty.
Before defeating Nottingham Forest last weekend, the Gunners had gone four league games without a victory, severely hurting their chances of winning the championship.

This week, Arteta acknowledged that Arsenal had to be nearly flawless in order to catch Liverpool.
And here was more proof that, even though Arteta’s team isn’t flawless yet, they are definitely back on track after their 5-1 thumping of Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League on Tuesday.
With more than half of the season remaining, Arsenal’s first away victory in the top flight since September served as a timely reminder that the squad that nearly put City out of the running for the title last season shouldn’t be dismissed.

After missing 12 games across all competitions due to an ankle injury, Arsenal’s captain Martin Odegaard has returned, igniting the team’s pursuit of their first league title since 2004.
With Manchester United scheduled to visit the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, Arsenal has won four straight games since the Norway midfielder was added back to the starting lineup.
The victory at Newcastle on Monday relieved some of the increasing pressure on West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui.

However, Arteta, who shares a Basque homeland with his close friend Lopetegui, showed no compassion as Arsenal took the lead in a stunning first half.
For the second time this season, Arsenal’s first goal was masterminded by set-piece coach Nicolas Jover.
Saka curled into a corner, and Gabriel took advantage of Jover’s deft move by finding room to pop his stooping header into the far corner from six yards out. The visitors scored again in the 27th minute after a fantastic midfield partnership between Saka and Odegaard, followed by Trossard’s close-range goal off the former’s ball.

In an incredible first half, however, Arsenal took control, and Arteta, who is from the same Basque region as his close friend Lopetegui, showed no mercy.
The genius behind Arsenal’s opening goal this season was set-piece coach Nicolas Jover.
After Saka curled in a corner, Gabriel took advantage of Jover’s deft move and managed to get a six-yard header into the far corner. Saka and Odegaard combined brilliantly in midfield before Trossard scored from close range after the former’s pass, giving the visitors another goal in the 27th minute.

In an incredible first half, however, Arsenal took control, and Arteta, who is from the same geographical region as his close friend Lopetegui, showed no mercy.
The genius behind Arsenal’s opening goal this season was set-piece coach Nicolas Jover.
After Saka curled in a corner, Gabriel took advantage of Jover’s deft move and managed to get a six-yard header into the far corner. Saka and Odegaard combined brilliantly in midfield before Trossard scored from close range after the former’s pass, giving the visitors another goal in the 27th minute.

Arsenal were ripping into the hosts’ defence, so it was not surprising that they scored again seven minutes later. Lucas Paqueta tripped Saka in the area, and Odegaard scored his first goal since April with the penalty kick. Havertz added to the pain in the 36th minute, with West Ham in ruins and shell-shocked fans quickly making their way to the exits.

Havertz was able to fire low past Lukasz Fabianski after West Ham defender Max Kilman hilariously stumbled after Trossard’s sweeping ball sent him clean through.
After Carlos Soler’s ball, Wan-Bissaka broke into the area and drilled past David Raya in the 38th minute, severing Arsenal’s momentum.
Two minutes later, Arteta was incensed after Emerson, the left-back for West Ham, bent a beautiful free kick from 25 yards out into the top corner.

But for Arsenal, West Ham’s unexpected turn was a false dawn. They were fighting for a corner when Saka managed to elude the Pole’s weak attempt at a save with a penalty kick after Fabianski unintentionally struck Gabriel in the head late in the first half stoppage time. All seven goals tied the Premier League record for most goals scored in a match’s first half.

Following Gabriel’s dismissal at halftime, Arteta’s primary concern in the second half was avoiding further injuries as Saka, Odegaard, and Trossard played on despite suffering crushing tackles.