Arsenal’s challenge for the title was severely hampered by West Ham’s 1-0 home defeat on Saturday, which the 10-man Gunners were able to win 1-0.
Just before half-time, Jarrod Bowen headed home the only goal, and injured Arsenal couldn’t stop their pain after Myles Lewis-Skelly was sent off on 73 minutes.
Defeat leaves second-placed Arsenal still eight points adrift of leaders Liverpool.
Arsenal had a chance to close the title race gap with a victory at the Emirates Stadium with leaders Liverpool not coming up until Sunday’s trip to Manchester City.
However, before the Gunners sent off Myles Lewis-Skelly after the break, Jarrod Bowen scored West Ham’s opening goal to give them their first defeat in 16 league games.
Second-placed Arsenal, whose last top-flight defeat came at Newcastle in November, are eight points behind Liverpool, who would move a massive 11 points clear if they beat spluttering City.
Spain midfielder Mikel Merino started for injured-hit Arsenal as a makeshift striker after coming off the bench twice in the final few minutes of last weekend’s win at Leicester.
But Arsenal’s lack of cutting edge in the absence of Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka was exposed when Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s pin-point cross was headed in by Jarrod Bowen in the 44th minute.
In the 73rd minute, when Lewis-Skelly brought down Mohammed Kudus as the West Ham forward surged away from the halfway line, Arsenal was still in pain.
Source: Channels TV
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