Arsenal moved to the top of the Premier League table with a composed and confident 2-0 win over West Ham United at the Emirates Stadium, a result that underlined their credentials as genuine challengers to Liverpool.
Declan Rice set the tone against his former club with a well-taken opener, showing the drive and timing that has quickly become a feature of his play under Mikel Arteta.
Bukayo Saka added a second from the penalty spot in the second half on the day of his 200th Premier League appearance, calmly dispatching his effort to continue his rise as one of the league’s most reliable forwards.
It was a victory achieved with the kind of maturity that Arteta has been calling for. Arsenal did not allow the disruption of Martin Odegaard’s early injury to knock them off course.
The captain’s withdrawal forced an adjustment in midfield, with Martin Zubimendi introduced and Rice pushed higher, but instead of losing control the team grew into the contest and dictated the tempo.
The performance had echoes of Arsenal’s best moments last season, but with added resilience. They dominated territory, pressed intelligently and were patient in possession.
When West Ham threatened to break forward, the back line, marshalled by William Saliba, stood firm. Jurrien Timber’s energy and Riccardo Calafiori’s composure provided balance, while Saka’s directness continually asked questions of the visitors’ defence.
Arteta reached his 300th game in charge with a performance that embodied the progress of his tenure. The Spaniard has been criticised in the past for conservatism in selection, yet this was another example of Arsenal embracing attacking intent without losing structure.
Even with squad changes forced by injuries, the quality of reinforcements such as Zubimendi showed how far depth has improved since the title race of 2022-23.
There were moments of fortune, notably the decision to award Timber’s penalty, but the result was never seriously in doubt.
Arsenal looked assured from the moment they went ahead and managed the game in a way that suggested lessons have been learned from costly slip-ups in the past.
The outcome is more than just three points. It is a statement that Arsenal intend to remain at the top rather than simply visit it.
Liverpool still have their chance to respond later today, but Arteta’s side have made clear that they are determined to set the pace.
