Arsenal salvage a point after a six-goals thriller with West Ham

On very rare occasions, one team scores five goals and the game still finishes with a 3-3 draw. And on Sunday, that kind of match was seen in the Premier League, when West Ham scored three goals against Arsenal, only to bring them back to life with two own ones. The Gunners managed only one goal, but it was enough for the final 3-3 in a London derby.

And what a thriller it was! Unlike so many boring 0-0 draws among the „big six“ teams this season, this was an exciting, up-tempo match with plenty of chances and goals. West Ham dominated the first half, Arsenal the second, but in the end, both teams could easily score the seventh goal of the match and bring home all three points. Still, this point will be a tough one for the Hammers, after leading 3-0 after 30 minutes.

West Ham were far better and sharper in the first 15 minutes of the match, but there were no clear chances until the two-minute earthquake. First, it was Jesse Lingard with a perfect strike in the 15th minute, before Arsenals goalkeeper Leno smothered the ball after a Jarrow Bowen strike for 2-0. And after some people wondered why Lingard got the England call after only a couple of good games, the on-loan Manchester United forward added one more goal and one more assist, just to make sure he totally deserved the call.

The first real chance for Arsenal came after 23 minutes, via Martin Odegaard. And after Lingard, it was time for Tomas Soucek to have his five minutes of fame. The steady midfielder first scored the third goal for the Hammers, and shortly after scored another, but into the wrong net.

Soucek’s own goal sparked a much better display from the Gunners, as they three good chances in the last seven minutes of the first half, but Saka (twice) and Partney were not precise.

The second half started the same way the first one ended – with an Arsenal chance. And it was a huge one, but Lacazette’s shot was cleared off the line by Issa Diop. The Gunners totally dominated and created chances via Odegaard and Lacazette but it was (another) own goal which „helped“ the guests. It was Dawson’s second own goal in a row and suddenly, it was 3-2 and things became very uncomfortable for David Moyes’s men.

Thirney stopped a certain goal from Antonio in the 66th minute, and the Hammers forward has struck the post ten minutes later. The Jamaican will certainly regret those chances because the punishment came in the 82nd minute when Lacazette scored for the final result. Decklan Rice would have been the hero if he managed to strike a goal after a great solo effort in the 85th minute, but the draw it is. And it was a great draw to watch.

PREMIER LEAGUE ROUND 29

Manchester City - Wolverhampton Wanderers 4-1 (1-0)

/Dendoncker (og) 15, Gabriel Jesus 80, 90+3, Mahrez 90 – Coady 61/

Burnley - Leicester City 1-1 (1-1)

/Vydra 4 - Iheanacho 34/

Sheffield United - Aston Villa 1-0 (1-0)

/McGoldrick 30/

Crystal Palace - Manchester United 0-0

West Bromwich Albion - Everton 0-1 (0-0)

/Richarlison 65/

Fulham - Tottenham 0-1 (0-1)

/Adarabioyo (og) 19/

Liverpool - Chelsea 0-1 (0-1)

/Mount 42/

Fulham – Leeds 1-2 (1-1)

/Andersen 38 – Bamford 29, Raphinha 58/

Brighton – Newcastle 3-0 (1-0)

/Trossard 45+3, Welbeck 51, Maupay 68/

West Ham – Arsenal 3-3 (3-1)

/Lingard 15, Bowen 17, Soucek 32, 38(o.g.), Dawson 61(o.g.) – Lacazette 82/

Tottenham - Southampton - postponed