Saka stars in Arsenal rout at West Ham

AP:

INSPIRED BY Bukayo Saka, Arsenal scored five goals in a wild first half at West Ham before settling for a 5-2 win that lifted them into second place in the English Premier League in their bid to chase down Liverpool.

Saka was one of five different scorers for Arsenal at the Olympic Stadium yesterday and also had a hand in three goals, by Gabriel, Leandro Trossard and Martin Odegaard. Kai Havertz netted the other goal for Arsenal in their biggest league victory this season.

Since returning from the international break, Arsenal have beaten Nottingham Forest 3-0 in the Premier League, Sporting Lisbon 5-1 in the Champions League, and put another five goals past West Ham yesterday. The prolific run has coincided with the return to fitness of Odegaard, Arsenal’s playmaker and captain, who missed two months with an ankle injury.

Arsenal trimmed the gap to Liverpool to six points ahead of the leader’s home match against beleaguered Manchester City today. Arsenal have been beaten to the title by City in each of the last two seasons, but might be wanting Pep Guardiola’s team to pull off a victory at Anfield.

Saka, especially, is benefiting from Odegaard’s presence. The England winger already has 10 assists for the campaign – having played 12 of Arsenal’s 13 games – along with five goals.

“I am taking a lot of pleasure from creating and scoring but the greatest pleasure is to win,” Saka said. “Let’s keep this form going. Definitely the last three games we have been back.”

All of the goals in the match were in the first half. It’s just the fourth time since the Premier League began in 1992 that seven goals were scored in a game before halftime.

A day after being hired as Leicester manager, Ruud van Nistelrooy witnessed at first hand the scale of his task to keep the team in the Premier League.

Leicester were beaten at Brentford 4-1 yesterday, with Van Nistelrooy sitting in the stands rather than in the dugout. He officially takes over as coach today after arriving as the replacement for the fired Steve Cooper.

Kevin Schade scored a hat trick and Yoane Wissa also netted for Brentford, who had to come from behind after Facunda Buonanotte’s 21st-minute opener.

Van Nistelrooy, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid striker, will begin his first full-time managerial role in English football with Leicester in 16th place in the 20-team league and just one point above the relegation zone.

Some history was made when Justin Kluivert converted a trio of penalties – in the third, 18th and 74th minutes – for Bournemouth in their 4-2 win at Wolverhampton. That had never been achieved before in a league game.

Kluivert said it was “amazing” to go into the history books but he was almost denied the opportunity.

“I was not completely sure I should allow him to take the third one,” Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola said. “It is difficult I suppose, every time you shoot the first one, you give information to the keeper.”

Evanilson won each of the three penalties converted by Kluivert – and that was also a first in the Premier League.

Yesterday’s Results

Palace 1-1 Newcastle

Wolves 2-4 Bournemouth

Brentford 4-1 Leicester

Forest 1-0 Ipswich

West Ham 2-5 Arsenal