February 22, 2025 – Arsenal’s Premier League title aspirations took a significant hit on Saturday evening as they slumped to a 0-1 defeat against West Ham United at the Emirates Stadium, a result made worse by a late red card to young midfielder Myles Lewis-Skelly that capped a frustrating night for Mikel Arteta’s side.
The Gunners entered the match riding a wave of optimism, having gone 15 league games unbeaten prior to this fixture, with victories over Leicester City (2-0) and a resounding 5-1 thrashing of Manchester City earlier in February.
However, West Ham, sitting uncomfortably in 16th place and desperate for points, delivered a tactical masterclass to upset the odds and expose Arsenal’s vulnerabilities.
The loss leaves Arsenal eight points behind league leaders Liverpool.
Bowen Strikes, Lewis-Skelly Sent Off
The game’s defining moment came in the 44 minute when Jarrod Bowen capitalized on a defensive mix-up to fire West Ham into the lead.
Arsenal’s backline, caught out by a swift counter-attack, failed to track Bowen’s run, and the winger made no mistake with a clinical finish past David Raya.
Despite dominating possession with 62% of the ball, Arsenal struggled to create clear-cut chances against a stubborn West Ham defense led by Nayef Aguerd and Konstantinos Mavropanos.
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The hosts’ woes deepened in the 73rd minute when substitute Myles Lewis-Skelly was shown a red card following a VAR review.
Introduced in the 58th minute alongside Oleksandr Zinchenko to replace Declan Rice and Riccardo Calafiori, the 18-year-old’s cameo lasted just 15 minutes.
The incident occurred when Mohammed Kudus dispossessed Lewis-Skelly near the halfway line and surged forward on a counter-attack.
With Raya off his line and no covering defenders, Lewis-Skelly lunged in a desperate attempt to halt Kudus, initially earning a yellow card from referee Craig Pawson.
However, after VAR intervention, the decision was upgraded to a red for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, reducing Arsenal to ten men and effectively ending their hopes of a comeback.
Posts on X reflected the mixed reactions among fans, with some criticizing Lewis-Skelly’s naivety—“Lewis-Skelly’s recklessness cost us any chance of leveling it,” one user wrote—while others pointed to West Ham’s efficiency, noting they had “more quality chances despite less possession.”
A Familiar Stumble in the Title Race
This defeat marks another frustrating chapter in Arsenal’s ongoing struggle to maintain consistency against teams they are expected to beat.
Memories of a 0-2 home loss to West Ham in December 2023 lingered in the stands, and this result reinforces the narrative that Arteta’s side lacks the killer instinct needed to challenge Liverpool’s dominance.
Arsenal’s attacking struggles were evident throughout. With Bukayo Saka sidelined by injury and forwards Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz missing significant time this season, the burden fell on Leandro Trossard and Raheem Sterling, neither of whom could unlock West Ham’s compact defense.
Mikel Merino, often deployed as a makeshift striker, found himself isolated against a physical backline, while Sterling’s lack of impact drew audible groans from the Emirates crowd.
Tactical Questions and a Costly Dismissal
Arteta’s decision to bring on Lewis-Skelly was intended to inject energy into a faltering midfield, but the teenager’s dismissal highlighted a lack of discipline that could prove costly.
The red card—Lewis-Skelly’s second in four Premier League matches this season, following a controversial sending-off against Wolves on January 25 that was later overturned—means he now faces a suspension, further stretching Arsenal’s squad depth at a critical juncture.
Upcoming fixtures against Nottingham Forest, Manchester United, Chelsea, and Fulham offer little margin for error, and Arteta will need to manage without one of his promising youngsters.
Tactically, Arsenal’s possession-heavy approach failed to yield results, a recurring issue against low-block defenses.
Where Does This Leave Arsenal?
The loss leaves Arsenal staring at a eight-point deficit to Liverpool, with Manchester City’s inconsistent form offering little consolation.
The Gunners have now dropped points in two of their last five home games against bottom-half opposition, a statistic that could define their season.
While their title hopes are not extinguished—March’s lighter league schedule due to cup commitments provides a chance to regroup—the margin for error is shrinking.
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