Premier League: West Ham 2 Arsenal 5 (Wan Bissaka 38, Palmieri 40; Gabriel 10, Trossard 27, Odegaard 34, Havertz 36, Saka 45)
Arsenal plundered another hatful of goals at West Ham as they climbed up to second in the Premier League with a frenetic 5-2 victory.
The Gunners can now put their feet up and watch title rivals Liverpool and Manchester City try to take points off each other on Sunday after what was a breathless encounter – or first half at least – at the London Stadium.
Just as they had at Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday night, Arsenal had five different scorers, with Gabriel, Leandro Trossard, Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka finding the net.
West Ham waited until they were 4-0 down before showing a modicum of fight, with goals from Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Emerson Palmieri briefly making things interesting.
But Saka’s penalty before half-time put Arsenal back in control as the Hammers’ revival, which lasted precisely one match – Monday night’s win at Newcastle – came to an embarrassing end and no doubt raised more questions about the future of manager Julen Lopetegui.
Arsenal took the lead after only 10 minutes via a new corner routine, overloading the far post before, as Saka swung the ball in, all charging across goal at once.
Jurrien Timber barged Lucas Paqueta, who was manning the near post, out of the way and an unmarked Gabriel arrived in the gap to glance home his header.
They doubled their lead when Saka collected the ball out on the right and fed it inside to Odegaard, who lifted it into the area for the England winger to continue his run.
Saka side-footed a simple pass across goal to where Trossard was left with a tap-in.
Soon it was three, Paqueta and Emerson combining to make sure at least one of them fouled Saka in the box, with Odegaard confidently converting the penalty.
Barely 60 seconds later Max Kilman missed Trossard’s ball over the top to leave Havertz with half of Stratford to himself to stroll forward and finish past a shellshocked Lukasz Fabianski.
In scenes reminiscent of last season’s 6-0 drubbing in the same fixture, West Ham fans began dutifully filing out.
But those who left missed Wan-Bissaka’s second collector’s item in six days, following his goal at St James’ Park on Monday, tucking in his fourth career goal from Carlos Soler’s through-ball.
They also missed probably the best goal of a quite barmy first half, a spectacular Emerson free-kick whipped into the top corner from 20 yards.
But Arsenal finished the half three ahead after Fabianski’s attempted punch from another corner caught Gabriel’s temple rather than the ball and this time Saka rolled in the spot-kick.
Gabriel was unable to come out for the second half, which will be of concern to boss Mikel Arteta, with the Brazilian replaced by Jakub Kiwior.
But the fun, by then, was over. Jarrod Bowen fired too high and Michail Antonio rolled a shot narrowly wide for West Ham, while Fabianski saved an effort from Odegaard.
But the goals and entertainment dried up as Arsenal took their foot off the gas safe in the knowledge their work was well and truly done before all eyes turn to Anfield on Sunday.
Wolves 1 Bournemouth 3 (Larsen 5; Kluivert 3, 18, 74, Kerzez 8)
Bournemouth’s Justin Kluivert became the first player in Premier League history to score a hat-trick of penalties as he inspired a 4-2 win at Wolves.
Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa, who gave away two of the spot-kicks, confronted angry supporters at half-time as the home side’s recent revival was brought to an abrupt halt.
It was a manic afternoon at Molineux which saw four goals in the opening 18 minutes, with Kluivert bagging twice from the spot either side of Milos Kerkez’s goal.
Jorgen Strand Larsen had made it 1-1 and then 3-2 but the Dutchman’s third penalty of the game killed it for the Cherries.
The defeat piles the pressure back on Wolves boss Gary O’Neil, who appeared to have bought himself some time after back-to-back wins over Southampton and Fulham.
But fans were singing “sacked in the morning” and “Gary, what’s the score?” as patience is running out.
Bournemouth’s solid season continues as they are in 11th position, with five wins from their 13 games.
Anyone who turned up late would have been kicking themselves as there were three goals in an opening eight minutes of madness.
Bournemouth struck first, having been awarded a penalty after only 56 seconds when Toti brought down Evanilson, with Kluivert striking home from the spot.
Wolves’ response was swift and they levelled in the fifth minute when Strand Larsen planted a powerful header into the corner from Jean-Ricner Bellegarde’s cross.
But the visitors were dangerous every time they came forward and restored their lead in the eighth minute when a sweeping move from right to left ended with Kerkez firing into the roof of the net.
They continued to threaten as Ryan Christie tested Sa and then Evanilson prodded straight at the Wolves keeper when he had time and space.
A third goal seemed inevitable and it came via another penalty after VAR intervened.
Evanilson nicked the ball off Sa’s toes and the goalkeeper’s follow-through caught the Bournemouth striker. Peter Bankes did not award a foul but changed his mind after seeing the incident on the pitchside monitor.
Kluivert coolly converted again as Bournemouth gained control.
Wolves were up in arms as they had two penalty appeals of their own waved away – first Matheus Cunha felt he was pushed in an aerial challenge before Rodrigo Gomes appeared to be sandwiched.
There were ugly scenes in the home end at half-time as goalkeeper Sa went to approach fans who were giving him abuse, but was pulled away by stewards, with the supporters in question ejected.
Wolves gave themselves hope in the 69th minute when Strand Larsen grabbed his second of the match, clinically converting after being played in by Goncalo Guedes.
But the hosts again shot themselves in the foot, with Sa’s nightmare afternoon continuing as he was given a hospital pass by Craig Dawson and clattered into Evanilson.
Bankes pointed to the spot again as the Brazilian became the first player to win three penalties in a Premier League game. Kluivert again did the business from the spot as he also created history, proving deadly from 12 yards.
Brentford 4 Leicester City 1 (Wissa 25, Schade 29, 45, 59; Buonanotte 21)
Kevin Schade shone as his hat-trick helped Brentford dominate Leicester 4-1 at the Gtech Community Stadium in the Premier League, showing incoming Foxes boss Ruud van Nistelrooy the size of the job at hand.
Despite Facundo Buonanotte opening the scoring in west London, Yoane Wissa grabbed his eighth of the season before Schade sparkled with three strikes to inflict more misery on the struggling Foxes, who van Nistelrooy will now assume control of.
A victory for Thomas Frank’s men helped them back to winning ways following last week’s goalless draw at Everton, with four goals on Saturday putting their season tally to 26 after 13 matches.
After a quality showing in their 2-1 defeat to Chelsea last week, Leicester’s Mads Hermansen continued his impressive shot-stopping here with a terrific tipped save to deny the unmarked Schade’s header in the opening minutes.
The save set the tone for a first half where the visitors were under the cosh, but they kept tight at the back and scored on the counter with their first chance of note in the 21st minute.
After the pacey Jamie Vardy was released in behind, the Foxes captain showed great strength to hold off Ethan Pinnock with a shoulder barge, before his ball across the six-yard box to Buonanotte was tapped home for 1-0.
But a similar move down the other end saw the Bees find a quick-fire leveller after the restart. Schade continued to be involved and he utilised his explosive speed to stride away from James Justin down the left flank.
After he spotted the surging run of Wissa, he picked out the striker with a precise low cross for an easy poacher’s goal into the empty net to equalise.
But Brentford were not done there as they continued their ruthless finishing to storm into a lead. Despite their goal, Leicester had been lethargic as they invited runners in the form of Bryan Mbeumo to exploit left-back Luke Thomas.
Once the winger used his creativity to jink inside and to win a yard of space, his fizzed pass into the box bobbled into the path of Schade who crashed his effort past Hermansen and into the bottom left-hand corner for 2-1.
Schade’s dominance saw him successfully double his tally, putting the match to bed for the Bees with a composed finish in first half added-time. The German attacker, who had not scored prior to this match, received a splitting pass by Mikkel Damsgaard which allowed him to produce a deft chip over Hermansen for his third goal contribution.
The 23-year-old was not done there. In the 59th minute he was played one-on-one by Nathan Collins before his side-footed finish into the bottom right-hand corner saw him claim his hat-trick.
Jannik Vestergaard of Leicester City wins a header whilst under pressure from Nathan Collins. Photograph: Ryan Pierse/Getty
Jannik Vestergaard of Leicester City wins a header whilst under pressure from Nathan Collins. Photograph: Ryan Pierse/Getty
Crystal Palace 1 Newcastle United 1 (Munoz 90+4; Guehi OG 53)
Daniel Munoz pounced three minutes into added-time to salvage a point for Crystal Palace in a 1-1 draw with Newcastle at Selhurst Park.
Eddie Howe’s men appeared to have bounced back from Monday’s home defeat by West Ham when Marc Guehi’s own-goal put them on the brink of victory.
But Palace, who were unable to convert a host of chances, kept pressing until the end and were rewarded when Munoz headed a cross past keeper Nick Pope at the far post.
It was redemption for the Colombian given he had missed a sitter in the first half as part of a wasteful afternoon from the Eagles.
Newcastle threatened only in fits and starts and suffered from the loss of striker Alexander Isak, who limped off with a hip problem in the 22nd minute to continue his rotten luck with injuries.
Isak received treatment early in a busy opening spell for Palace, who went on the attack when Jean-Philippe Mateta found Eberechi Eze only for the forward to spoil the chance with a poor first touch.
Isak attempted to run off his injury but was unsuccessful and had to be replaced by Harvey Barnes.
Trevoh Chalobah was high from range and there was panic in the Newcastle area moments later when Pope got his legs in the way of an attempt by Ismaila Sarr, who should have done better.
Palace wasted a glorious chance to take the lead in the 35th minute when they broke downfield at pace and although Sarr delivered a pinpoint pass, Munoz could only stab it wide at the far post.
Munoz was running close to full speed when he arrived but it was still little more than a tap-in.
Palace had produced their best football following Isak’s departure but after the brief outbreak of drama around Newcastle’s box, the tempo of the game slowed back down.
The Magpies showed greater intent from the moment the second half began and, in the 53rd minute, they were rewarded when a slick free-kick routine ended with Anthony Gordon’s cross being poked into his own net by Guehi.
Newcastle’s players celebrated with away fans after Gordon had jumped over the advertising hoardings – he was booked as a result – and stewards were forced to restore order.
The goal stirred Palace and they almost drew level but Pope kept out Sarr before Dan Burn intervened to prevent Munoz’s follow up from hitting the target.
Eze, making his first appearance in a month after recovering from a hamstring injury, was taken off but the change did not knock the home side off their stride as they continued to press.
Pope was busy in the Newcastle goal and Mateta skied a close-range shot over the crossbar, but the keeper was finally beaten by Munoz in the 93rd minute as Palace launched one last attack.
Nottingham Forest 1 Ipswich Town 0 (Wood 59)
Chris Wood’s second-half penalty was decisive as Nottingham Forest returned to winning ways with a 1-0 home Premier League victory over Ipswich.
Wood maintained his impressive goalscoring form this season by emphatically converting from the spot soon after the interval to lift Forest up to sixth in the table.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s high-flyers had climbed up to third at the start of this month before back-to-back defeats to Newcastle and Arsenal halted their eye-catching rise.
Ipswich, who have not won at the City Ground since 1999, rarely threatened in a game of few clear-cut scoring chances and remain in the bottom three after their sixth top-flight defeat of the season.
Kieran McKenna’s side were unable to build on their own recent progress, having followed up their first league win of the campaign at Tottenham by holding Manchester United 1-1 last week at Portman Road.
Forest made a fast start as Morgan Gibbs-White headed a corner off target and Neco Williams’ low goal-bound drive was deflected wide by Ipswich forward Sammie Szmodics.
Ipswich threatened for the first time in the 24th minute having settled into the contest, with a header from defender Cameron Burgess hacked clear off the goal-line by Ola Aina.
Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels was forced into a fine low save soon after from Omari Hutchinson’s low angled effort, while at the other end, Williams curled his free-kick narrowly wide.
Entertainment in the first half was in short supply, but that changed four minutes after the restart.
Szmodics clipped Jota Silva’s ankle in the box and after referee Tony Harrington’s decision to award a penalty had been ratified by VAR, Wood lashed his ninth league goal of the season into the roof of the net.
Forest were denied a second soon after by Ipswich goalkeeper Arijanet Muric, who brilliantly tipped Murillo’s header on to the crossbar following Silva’s hooked cross.
Ipswich substitute Jack Clarke wasted a golden chance for an equaliser when he fired straight at Sels from inside the area.
Both managers made a string of changes in the final quarter, which ensured a stop-start game became even more disjointed and although the visitors gamely chased an equaliser, Sels was never seriously tested.