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SOCCER

West Ham United ................ 2 Arsenal ................................. 2

LONDON – Arsenal’s Premier League title jitters returned in a potentially costly 2-2 draw at West Ham United on Sunday as for the second week in a row they threw away a twogoal advantage.

The leaders were 2-0 up and cruising towards restoring their six-point cushion over Manchester City with Gabriel Jesus tapping home in the seventh minute and Martin Odegaard doubling Arsenal’s lead with a volley three minutes later.

But everything changed when they conceded a sloppy penalty that Said Benrahma tucked away in the 33rd minute.

West Ham, needing points themselves to stay away from the relegation zone, were transformed although Bukayo Saka had the chance to restore Arsenal’s two-goal lead early in the second half only to blaze a penalty well wide.

That miss looked even more costly moments later when Jarrod Bowen volleyed in West Ham’s equaliser in the 54th minute.

Just as at Anfield last week when Mikel Arteta’s team led 2-0 but ended up hanging on desperately for a 2-2 draw with Liverpool, there was a nervousness about Arsenal’s play as the pressure of winning a first title since 2004 intensifies.

City’s destiny is now very much in their own hands as Arsenal lead the table with 74 points from 31 games, four more than City who have played a game less and who host Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side on April 26.

West Ham, who looked the stronger side after levelling and hit the crossbar through Michail Antonio, have 31 points from 30 games, four ahead of the relegation places.