Arsenal were in excellent form going into their clash with West Ham, having won three consecutive matches. Meanwhile, the home team had just suffered a heavy 0-3 defeat against Man Utd. This disparity was further evident in the match on the evening of February 11th.
Both teams started brightly. The game tilted in Arsenal's favor thanks to Odegaard and his teammates' excellent ball control. They created two chances to open the scoring in the 22nd and 23rd minutes, but Leandro Trossard's finishing was not sharp enough.
However, the away fans didn't have to wait long. In the 32nd minute, from a corner kick on the left wing, William Saliba headed in the opening goal. Nine minutes later, Bukayo Saka doubled the lead with a penalty that the English player himself had earned.
Two goals conceded weighed heavily on the West Ham players' legs. They struggled to mount attacks, and their defense lacked concentration. Before the first half ended, Gabriel Magalhaes and Leandro Trossard scored, giving Arsenal a 4-0 lead.
Declan Rice did not celebrate after scoring against his former team.
West Ham fans left the stadium, knowing it would be very difficult for the home team to turn the game around. Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta's men didn't stop at four goals. The "Gunners" relentlessly attacked.
In the 63rd minute, Bukayo Saka received the ball on the right wing. In a favorable position, he dribbled inwards before shooting, scoring Arsenal's fifth goal.
Two minutes later, the ball was passed back towards the West Ham penalty area. Declan Rice unleashed a powerful shot, giving goalkeeper Alphonse Areola no chance to save it.
At this point, the visiting team slowed down. Coach Mikel Arteta substituted his key players. The match ended with a 6-0 victory for Arsenal.
With this win, Arsenal have 52 points, placing them third and two points behind league leaders Liverpool. In the next round, Arsenal will play away at Burnley, while West Ham will face Nottingham Forest.
Result: West Ham 0-6 Arsenal
Score a goal
Arsenal: Saliba (32'), Saka (41', 63'), Gabriel (44'), Trossard (45+2'), Rice (65')
West Ham vs Arsenal starting lineup
West Ham: Areola, Coufal, Zouma, Aguerd, Johnson, Emerson, Alvarez, Kudus, Ward-Prowse, Soucek, Bowen.
Arsenal: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior, Rice, Havertz, Odegaard, Saka, Trossard, Martinelli.
Van Hai
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