Arsenal jump to 4th on league table, first time in 30 months

Arsenal moved to fourth on the Premier League table after defeating West Ham United on Wednesday at the Emirates.

It was the first time in 30 months that the Gunners last sat amid the top four at this stage of a season.

Brazilian forward, Gabriel Martinelli and Emily Smith-Rowe scored a goal each for the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium to hand Arteta’s men a second consecutive win after a run of two league defeats to Manchester United and Everton.

Alexandre Lacazzate, who was the captain for the day, had a chance to seal the game for the North London side but his penalty – awarded after a red card to Vladimir Coufal – was saved by a former Arsenal goalkeeper, Lukasz Fabianski.

However, Smith Rowe made it two in the 87th minute to hand Arsenal a comfortable home win.

Arsenal are now one point above fifth-placed West Ham after a second successive victory eased the drama surrounding Mikel Arteta’s decision to strip Gabon forward Aubameyang of the club captaincy.

It is a remarkable reversal of fortune after Arsenal lost their opening three league games for the first time in 67 years.

Calls for Arteta to be sacked were widespread after an embarrassing 5-0 thrashing at Manchester City in August, but the Spaniard has steadied the ship impressively.

Aubameyang was absent from the squad after being removed from the captaincy due to a disciplinary breach on Tuesday.

Martinelli broke West Ham’s resistence in the 48th minute when the Brazilian ran onto Alexandre Lacazette’s defence-splitting pass and stroked a fine finish into the far corner for his second goal this term.

West Ham were reduced to 10 men in the 66th minute after Coufal’s tackle on stand-in skipper Lacazette conceded a penalty and earned the defender a second yellow card.

Lukasz Fabianski plunged to his left to save Lacazette’s spot-kick, but Smith Rowe capped Arsenal’s dominant display when he finished a flowing move with a clinical strike from the edge of the area in the 87th minute.

In the second match of the day, Crystal Palace and Southampton played 2-2 draw.