Lacazette strike keeps top-four hopes alive
Arsenal’s craving for a return to the grand stage of Champions League football is all pervading at the Emirates, but perhaps, come May, the waiting will finally be over. Victory over West Ham was hard-earned, some might say fortuitous, but Arsenal are now unbeaten in eight Premier League starts as they chase down a coveted fourth place.
The all-important moment came 12 minutes from the end, and after a lengthy wait for a verdict from the video assistant referee. It could only have been inches between Mesut Ozil and Angelo Ogbonna, but the Arsenal man was rightly given onside.
That meant the outstanding Ozil’s cushioned header into the path of Alexandre Lacazette was not ruled out, and the substitute was able to sweep the ball past Lukasz Fabianski, the former Arsenal goalkeeper.
The Emirates was last graced by Europe’s premier club competition in the 2016-17 season and Mikel Arteta, the Arsenal manager, insisted before yesterday’s match that his players could handle the expectations and pressures as they chase a return to the spotlight.
Starting the afternoon eight points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, this was a match which required victory but West Ham, who remain above the relegation zone on goal difference only, proved stubborn opponents.
“Big teams find a way to win and we can learn from that,” said Arteta. “There might have been some negatives in the match, but we found a way. The unity, solidarity and the desire the players showed got us the points.
“We are turning the corner in terms of results, a little bit in terms of what I want to see from my team, but it is a process and won’t happen overnight.”
The outcome could have been rather different had West Ham’s finishing ability matched their determination in other quarters of the pitch.
Ogbonna and Issa Diop were magnificent in defence, but the men from the East End scorned a string of goalscoring opportunities.
“We didn’t deserve to lose,” said West Ham manager David Moyes. “In recent weeks there have been mistakes defensively which have cost us, but today the mistakes were that we didn’t take our chances.”
West Ham’s recent improvements against Liverpool and Southampton continued at the Emirates, where they had three clear opportunities to take the lead in the first 20 minutes.
Supporters were still taking their seats when Jarrod Bowen sent a shot skimming against a post. Then Michail Antonio broke away, looked up to find the unmarked Sebastien Haller, but rolled the ball behind his team-mate.
The home rearguard was split again in the 19th minute and left thankful that Haller’s heavy first touch meant goalkeeper Bernd Leno could snuff out the danger.
Arsenal looked a whole lot better going forward, where Ozil’s goalbound shot was diverted when Aaron Cresswell flung himself in the way, and Sokratis headed against the woodwork.
Arsenal were stretching their visitors, Bukayo Saka powering forward down the left while Ozil and Eddie
Nketiah tried to lever West Ham open on the right.
But goalscoring chances still fell West Ham’s way. Antonio had the home goal at his mercy in the 56th minute, but Leno clawed away his header.
There was a real sense of urgency as Arsenal pressed forward in the closing stages, and they drew reward – after an agonising wait for the video assistant referee’s decision. There was still time for Leno to deny Haller at the near post.