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Arsenal leapfrog West Ham into fourth place after winning 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium.

The hosts started the game well with some early pressure and went close with chances falling to Alexandre Lacazette and Gabriel Martinelli but struggled to make it count in the first half.

Three minutes into the second half, though, Martinelli put Arsenal in front with a Thierry Henry-esque finish into the far corner after being slipped through by captain Lacazette.

As Arsenal looked for a second, the ball fell to Lacazette in the box and Vladimir Coufal made a forceful tackle which referee Anthony Taylor deemed worthy of a penalty and second yellow card.

Former Arsenal goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski saved Lacazette's resulting spot kick, momentarily breathing life into West Ham's hope of an unlikely revival.

But substitute Emile Smith-Rowe landed the fatal blow in scoring Arsenal's second in the 87th minute with a well-taken left-footed drive from the edge of the area, lifting the proverbial roof off the Emirates.

A defiant display from Arsenal after a week where many questioned their lack of leaders.

(Photo: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

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"The players play for the club and the pride that we expect from them. I was really happy from the beginning, because we knew that we had to play really good today to beat West Ham.

"[The youngsters] were all really good and I think the senior players led by example."

Arsenal move up to fourth with that win and they deserve it on the basis of their performance.

They remained dominant throughout, fought off West Ham's rare bursts forward and kept it solid at the back.

As for the visitors, it's now two games without a goal and they managed just one shot on target tonight, failing to test Arsenal's defence like they have done against teams earlier in the season.

18 - David Moyes has never won away against Arsenal in the Premier League in 18 attempts (D4 L14), extending the record for the most times a manager has played away at a single club without ever winning in the competition. Torrid.

88' - Tavares comes for Lacazette. Good performance from the Frenchman.

87' - And Arsenal's second goal of the game finally comes!

After winning the ball around the halfway line, Saka drives forward, commits Rice, slides Smith-Rowe through and his left-footed drive finds the bottom corner to kill West Ham's hopes of an unlikely comeback.

Emile Smith Rowe seals it for Arsenal... 🎥 @btsportfootball pic.twitter.com/noxTVy6LPy

82' - Goalscorer Martinelli is replaced by Nketiah, who looks to be playing on the left.

Fornals makes way for Harrison Ashby, who makes his Premier League debut.

79' - Martinelli fires a low cross from the left to Saka and his shot is deflected wide by Diop at point blank range.

West Ham might not have had much going for them going forward but they've defended bravely throughout, if that's any consolation.

77' - Lanzini comes off for Benrahma.

Antonio does look to be playing at right-back in place of Coufal with Bowen as the striker.

70' - Lacazette's penalty is saved by Fabianski!

There was a quick VAR check for encroachment but the save stands and West Ham have a chance of getting back into this game.

20 minutes plus added time to go.

67' - Martinelli slips the ball to Lacazette and, as the Frenchman meets the ball, Coufal went steaming in with a forceful tackle but looked to win the ball in the process.

After a couple of seconds and with Lacazette writhing in pain, Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot and gave Coufal his marching orders.

66' - Odegaard comes off for Smith-Rowe. Not much of a change in shape.

60' - Arsenal look really up for this evening, flaunting back flicks and nutmegs almost at will.

Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli and Lacazette all seem to be on the same wavelength and look more dangerous with every attack, but they need to score a second to widen the margin and prevent West Ham a way back into this game.

53' - Odegaard gives the ball away with a loose pass and Bowen's resulting shot deflected off Gabriel, prompting Ramsdale to tip the shot behind for a corner.

West Ham's first chance gifted by Arsenal.

47' - Lacazette drops deep as he usually does, Martinelli makes a darting run in behind between Dawson and Coufal which Lacazette finds well and the Brazilian rolls his finish into the far post like a certain Thierry Henry.

"1-0 to the Arsenal" now reverberating around the Emirates.

Some would say that's the goal Arsenal perhaps should have scored before half-time. West Ham need to respond.

Lacazette 🤝 Martinelli 🎥 @btsportfootball pic.twitter.com/FJkFCvQlWs

No half-time changes for either team.

A lively end to the half as Arsenal picked up the intensity with some dangerous shots in the final five minutes.

West Ham are still in this game but will need to rethink their plans on the counter-attack as Antonio's forays forward have not caused Arsenal much harm.

Antonio was stationed as a right wing-back out of possession at times with Bowen up top towards the end of the half, so perhaps that could be Moyes' answer to easing their transition.

45' - Lacazette's shot from outside the area is parried by Fabianski and as Martinelli closes in to finish the rebound, Dawson emerges to get his toe on the loose ball and turn it behind for a corner.

The 31-year-old has been keeping West Ham in this game.

42' - Saka plays a quick one-two with Odegaard to get into the box and feeds Xhaka whose shot is blocked by Dawson.

The ball spins the way of Tierney who rifles his shot towards goal but Fabianski acrobatically tips his effort onto the crossbar.

Arsenal very much on top as we approach half-time.

37' - Arsenal have been attacking more frequently down their right flank through their talisman Saka, but West Ham's Masuaku and Fornals/Lanzini are doubling up on the winger to minimise his threat.

With right-back Tomiyasu rarely offering much of an supporting run, Saka has so far struggled to free himself from the visitor's overload on that side. Martinelli and Tierney on the opposite side could pose a better solution to that issue perhaps.

26' - It's clear West Ham are set up to hit Arsenal on the break, dropping back in a 4-4-2 low block and springing forward once they win the ball.

But Arsenal have been similarly diligent when winning the ball back themselves, with Arteta an animated figure in the dugout orchestrating Arsenal's press.