Arsenal left book makers gawping for breath after they were thumped two goals by their east London counterpart in the first week of the premier league.
Having last won a match at the Emirates in April 2007, West-ham stole the show in the London derby which most bookmakers thought would sway in favour of a resurgent Arsenal.
Cheikhou Kouyate got the opener in the 43rd minute via a well-tailored free-kick. No thanks to the sloppy timing of Peter Cech who missed the trajectory of the ball’s flight. Arsenal could not help but to mull over their spate of missed chances and futile spell of possession.
The second half began with a sense of urgency but the rustiness in the final third left the team chasing shadows. Arsenal’s woes were compounded after the break when Mauro Zarate wrong footed Cech to slot a beautiful strike. The experienced goalkeeper’s reflexes thus, became an issue of curiosity which many found hard to believe.
Meanwhile, 16 year-old Oxford Reece had an excellent debut that stole several headlines after the match. The defensive midfielder became West-ham’s youngest ever player to star in a premier league match and this he did with a fine outing.
The odious spectacle of the score line at the Emirates prompted rash substitutions from Arsene Wenger who had to bring in an unfit Alexis Sanchez. West-ham nevertheless already had the match in their kitty and they protected their lead tightening their midfield and giving the FA cup winners little room to penetrate.
With the two-goal deficit, Arsenal currently sits at the bottom of the table and would hope to salvage their fortunes against Crystal Palace next week.
