Arteta's Arsenal set unwanted record in West Ham draw

Arteta's Arsenal set unwanted record in West Ham draw

Ayoola Kelechi 17:18 - 16.04.2023

Arsenal blew a two-goal lead against West Ham to set an unwanted record in the Premier League

Mikel Arteta and Arsenal dropped more points in the title race as they start to feel the pressure of the run-in with seven games left in the season. 

Arsenal blow 2-0 lead against West Ham

The Gunners held a 2-0 goal lead against West Ham but allowed the Hammers back into the game and lost their lead as Jarrod Bowen equalised for the home side less than two minutes after Bukayo Saka missed a penalty that should have put Arsenal 3-1 up. 

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Though Arsenal are still top of the Premier League table, they hold only a slender lead over pursuers Manchester City, who are only four points behind the Gunners with a game in hand as well. 

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They would do well to hold off the Cityzens who are chasing a third consecutive Premier League title and have won their last 10 matches in all competitions, as they enter their favourite part of the season in the title chase. 

Arsenal, on the other hand, are beginning to show that they are not used to the pressure that comes with a title race of this nature, setting an unwanted record at the most crucial point of the season. 

Arsenal set unwanted record against West Ham

Arsenal’s capitulation against West Ham meant that they have now thrown away two-goal leads in consecutive matches for the first time in the club’s history, after also dropping points against Liverpool in a similar manner. 

Arsenal held a two-goal lead at Anfield a week ago, but failed to capitalise on their advantage as they ended up with only a point despite Mohamed Salah missing a penalty for the hosts. 

They repeated the trick against West Ham, only that this time, the penalty miss came from one of their own. 

The Gunners become only the fifth side to throw away a lead of two or more goals in consecutive Premier League matches, doing so at the worst possible time of the 2022/23 campaign. 

If they are to successfully wrestle the league title from current holders Manchester City, they will need to improve their mental resolve and see out games better in the final parts of the season. 

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