Arsenal Falls Short

Arsenal missed out on the chance to reclaim the top spot in the Premier League after suffering a surprising 2-0 defeat to West Ham. The Gunners, last season's runners-up, were unable to find their rhythm on a wet and gloomy Thursday night at the Emirates.

Goals from Soucek and Mavropanos

Tomas Soucek's controversial goal in the first half and Kostas Mavropanos' powerful header in the second half sealed Arsenal's fate. Despite their efforts to equalize, the North Londoners squandered numerous chances.

Player Ratings

Here, SunSport's Jordan Davies rates the performances of Mikel Arteta's team:

David Raya - 7/10

Raya had little chance to stop either goal and made some good saves. He also saved a late penalty from Benrahma.

Oleksandr Zinchenko - 5

Zinchenko had a nervy performance, with some good touches on the ball but also some mistakes. He lost his marker at a corner, allowing Mavropanos to score.

William Saliba - 7

Saliba was calm and dominant both with and without the ball. He could have closed down the cross that led to Soucek's goal more aggressively.

Gabriel - 6

Gabriel's clearance mistake led to West Ham's first goal, and he was beaten in the air for their second goal. He had a mixed performance.

Ben White - 6

White missed a chance from a set-piece and didn't do enough to disrupt West Ham's defense. He made a good block to deny Benrahma late in the game.

Declan Rice - 6

Rice was solid in sweeping up the mess and driving his team forward. However, he could only watch as his teammates lacked conviction. He also gave away a late penalty.

Martin Odegaard - 7

Odegaard was impressive from the start, providing creativity and opportunities for his team. However, he sometimes overplayed when a shot was the better option.

Leandro Trossard - 5

Trossard struggled to make an impact and frustrated the home fans with his poor corners. He looked lost in the middle of the pitch.

Bukayo Saka - 6

Saka was well-marked by West Ham and couldn't make much of an impact. He had a header saved and hit the post from a pass by Odegaard.

Gabriel Martinelli - 6

Martinelli had a quiet first half, struggling to find space. He missed a good chance before being substituted.

Gabriel Jesus - 6

Jesus dropped deep to try and break down West Ham's defense but missed two clear chances in the box. He showed some creativity with his passes.

Substitutes

Reiss Nelson (Zinchenko 65) - 6

Eddie Nketiah (Martinelli 65) - 6

Emile Smith Rowe (Trossard 79) - 6

Arsenal will need to regroup after this disappointing loss. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.

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