EPL: Arsenal Move to Second with Thrilling 5-2 Victory Over West Ham; Kluivert Makes History with Hat-Trick of Penalties
In a dazzling display of attacking football, Arsenal thrashed West Ham United 5-2 at the London Stadium on Saturday, vaulting them into second place in the Premier League. This victory marked a remarkable turnaround for the Gunners, who have netted 13 goals in just one week, narrowing the gap to league leaders Liverpool to six points ahead of their crucial clash against Manchester City on Sunday.
Arsenal’s offensive prowess was on full display in a frantic first half, where all seven goals of the match were scored. Gabriel Magalhaes opened the scoring early, capitalizing on a corner taken by Bukayo Saka, who was instrumental throughout the match. Saka then turned provider again, setting up Leandro Trossard to double the lead before Martin Odegaard converted a penalty to make it 3-0. Just before the half-hour mark, Kai Havertz added a fourth, leaving West Ham reeling.
Despite a dismal start, the Hammers fought back momentarily with two quick goals from Aaron Wan-Bissaka and a stunning free-kick by Emerson Palmieri, reducing the deficit to 4-2. However, Saka restored Arsenal’s three-goal cushion from the penalty spot after Gabriel was brought down in the box, sealing the emphatic win and increasing the pressure on West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui.
In other Premier League action, Bournemouth’s Justin Kluivert made headlines by scoring the first-ever hat-trick of penalties in Premier League history during the Cherries’ 4-2 triumph over Wolverhampton Wanderers. Kluivert’s historic feat came amidst a whirlwind match at Molineux, where he opened the scoring before Jorgen Strand Larsen leveled for Wolves. Kluivert quickly regained the lead for Bournemouth, netting his second shortly after. He completed his hat-trick in the 74th minute, showcasing his composure under pressure as Bournemouth secured a vital win that helped them steer clear of relegation worries.
Brentford continued their impressive home form with a commanding 4-1 victory over Leicester City, further complicating the Foxes’ managerial transition with Ruud van Nistelrooy set to take charge. After Facundo Buonanotte put Leicester ahead, the Bees rallied back, with Yoane Wissa starting the comeback. New signing Schade was the star of the show, scoring twice before halftime to shift the momentum firmly in Brentford’s favor.
In a nail-biting encounter, Nottingham Forest defeated Ipswich Town 1-0 thanks to a powerful penalty from Chris Wood, securing crucial points as the relegation battle heats up.
Meanwhile, Crystal Palace managed to escape the relegation zone by salvaging a 1-1 draw against Newcastle United, with Marc Guehi redeeming himself after an own goal by assisting Daniel Munoz’s equalizer.
