Arsenal’s English midfielder Bukayo Saka reacts after lacking to attain a penalty kick in the course of the English Premier League soccer match between West Ham United and Arsenal on the London Stadium, in London on April 16, 2023.
| Photo Credit: AFP
Arsenal blew a two-goal lead for the second sport in a row as Bukayo Saka’s penalty miss proved essential in the Premier League leaders’ damaging 2-2 draw towards West Ham on April 16.
Mikel Arteta’s facet struck twice in the primary 10 minutes on the London Stadium because of objectives from Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard.
But simply seven days after squandering a 2-0 benefit in their 2-2 draw at Liverpool, the Gunners again cracked below the strain of the title race.
Said Benrahma’s penalty diminished the deficit for West Ham earlier than the interval and after Saka fired his spot-kick large early in the second half, Jarrod Bowen volleyed in an equaliser for the struggling hosts.
It was a hammer blow for Arsenal, who sit 4 factors away from second-placed Manchester City however have ceded the title race momentum to Pep Guardiola’s group.
City had closed inside three factors of the Gunners after beating Leicester 3-1 on Saturday and it’s the champions who’ve the future of the title in their arms regardless of trailing Arsenal for a lot of the season.
City, who’ve received their final 10 matches in all competitions, have a sport in hand on Arsenal.
With a house sport towards Arsenal looming on April 26, City know they are going to raise a fifth title in six seasons in the event that they win their remaining eight matches.
By the time Arsenal journey to the Emirates Stadium they are going to be seven factors away from City in the event that they beat bottom-of-the-table Southampton on Friday.
Yet that hole would nonetheless look uncomfortably small to Arsenal followers fearing their group are in the method of losing a golden alternative to win a primary title since 2004.
While City are battle-tested in dealing with the strain of the title race, Arsenal’s younger squad look to be struggling an ill-timed assault of nerves.
It might have been so completely different for Arsenal after they wanted simply seven minutes to take the lead as Odegaard’s deft go discovered Ben White, who delivered a low cross that Jesus slotted house on the far publish.
Jesus’s fourth objective in his final three video games was adopted by the Gunners’ second three minutes later as they ruthlessly punished West Ham’s woeful marking.
Gabriel Martinelli’s pin-point cross discovered Odegaard in acres of area and the midfielder blasted a volley previous Lukasz Fabianski from an acute angle six yards out.
The turning level got here in the thirty third minute when Arsenal, wanting a bit over-confident after such a swaggering begin, needlessly conceded a penalty.
Thomas Partey surrendered possession to Declan Rice and when the West Ham midfielder picked out Lucas Paqueta’s run, Gabriel Magalhaes’ mistimed sliding deal with was accurately dominated a penalty regardless of Arsenal appeals for handball.
Mohamed Salah had missed a penalty towards Arsenal final weekend, however they had been out of luck this time as Benrahma despatched Aaron Ramsdale the mistaken means from the spot.
Michail Antonio’s header was tipped over by Ramsdale moments later as Arsenal began to creak.
Saka ought to have eased Arsenal’s mounting anxiousness when Antonio conceded a fiftieth minute penalty with an outstretched arm that blocked Martinelli’s flick.
But as an alternative Saka spiked the strain stage even increased with a woeful spot-kick that utterly missed hit the goal, a costly blunder that recalled the England ahead’s Euro 2020 ultimate penalty shoot-out failure towards Italy.
Saka held his head in his arms and with Arsenal clearly rattled, David Moyes’ facet snatched an equaliser in the 54th minute.
Thilo Kehrer guided the ball into the Arsenal space and Bowen was simply onside as his volley ricocheted off the turf and skidded previous Ramsdale’s despairing dive.
Antonio practically received it for West Ham in the closing levels, rising to move Benrahma’s cross towards the bar.
