Arsenal shatters Premier League records in wild win over West Ham

It was a match of great intensity, with goals, penalties and a game that came close to becoming a real epic. Arsenal gave a masterclass in efficiency, leaving the London Stadium with an imposing 5-2 victory over West Ham.

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The display of the Gunners was that of a sharp and well-organized team that, after one spell of pressure, regained authority. The result not only secured second place in the Premier League but also underlined Arsenal's firepower to stay in contention at the top.

An offensive avalanche

It was one of those first halves where every single attack felt like it was going to result in a goal. On 10 minutes, the ever-dangerous Gabriel Magalhães nodded home a perfect corner from Bukayo Saka to give the hosts an early lead. It was the defender's fourth goal of the season, all coming from similar set-piece situations.

Soon after, Leandro Trossard also demonstrated his finishing ability by slotting home a low cross from Saka. The third was a controversial one, with Lucas Paquetá fouling Saka in the box, then Martin Odegaard coolly slotting home the resulting penalty.

Kai Havertz, facing criticism for quiet performances of late, silenced critics when he scored a well-taken goal late in the first half, assisted by Trossard.

A seemingly comfortable 4-0 lead for Arsenal was followed by an instant response from West Ham to add drama to the game. Goals from Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Emerson within two minutes had restored hope among the home fans.

Drama and balance before halftime

In a frenetic stretch, the Gunners had to make sure the game wouldn't get away from them. In injury time, yet another penalty, courtesy of Saka, was given. This time, the youngster stepped up to the spot and slotted home for a 5-2 first-half mark.

It was a rare, rare, rare spectacle-those seven goals in the first 45 minutes of the game, seen only a handful of times in the history of the Premier League. The break allowed both teams to recalculate and bring some semblance of order to the chaos.

Second-half control and safety

Leading by a comfortable margin, Arsenal took a conservative approach to the second half to ensure the game was shut down for their opponents as much as possible. The substitutes, such as Zinchenko and Kiwior, added fresh blood in defense, while the Hammers looked for openings to try and cut the deficit.

Not quite as electric as the first, Arsenal did what was needed, not taking unnecessary risks for the three points.

The record night of Arsenal

The result wasn't just a big win; it came with historical milestones. Gabriel Magalhães extended his reputation as a scoring defender with 17 goals since his Premier League debut in 2020-the highest for a defender in this period.

Even more impressively, 10 of those goals have come in London derbies, accounting for 59% of his total-a percentage unmatched by any player with at least 15 goals in Premier League history.

Additionally, Arsenal set a new benchmark by becoming the first team to score 60 away goals against a single opponent in Premier League history, reaching this milestone against West Ham.