This Saturday night siege was brought to you courtesy of a merciless Arsenal attacking onslaught. But also, thanks to a large serving of some pitiful West Ham defending.
Arsenal, whose four game winless run in the Premier League had many writing off their title credentials, are back.
What a difference a week makes, eh? Three wins and 13 goals has breathed life into a season that appeared to be suffocating as they look to haul down runaway leaders Liverpool to wrestle the title away from Manchester City.
City, Liverpool, or both will drop points on Sunday, too; the two teams clash at Anfield. Further reason for hope.
Regardless of what transpires on Merseyside, the Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta knows his side still have a proverbial mountain to scale.
But the last seven days has offered the Gunners boss belief that reaching the summit is possible – the gap to Arne Slot’s side down to six points for the time being.
Arsenal were ruthless as they thrashed West Ham in a seven-goal thriller at the London Stadium
Gunners forced their way in front after just ten minutes as Gabriel headed home from a corner
The opener marked the Brazilian defender’s third Premier League goal of the campaign
The title race is the least of Julen Lopetegui concerns right now; the bubble of optimism spawned from Monday’s excellent win at Newcastle popped with this chastening.
Positioned in the Hammers boardroom as he served a touchline suspension, the Spaniard cut a shellshocked figure as Arsenal ran riot in a blistering 45 minute spell.
It was a performance that will serve to worry further those at the London Stadium who fear appointing Lopetegui as David Moyes’ successor was a mistake.
You’d imagine the forthcoming fixtures against Leicester, Wolves and Bournemouth will shape the opinions of those who truly matter in these part of east London.
To make a decision after this harrowing experience against one of European finest would, perhaps, be harsh.
But the Premier League is cut throat. Just ask Arteta, who was having to deal with criticism of his own just a few weeks ago.
That period must seem a distant, albeit painful, memory for Arteta right now.
His Arsenal side were incredibly good here. By the time any of us could catch our breath they were 4-0 up, the natives were streaming out and you wondered whether Lopetegui would survive the match, let alone Tuesday’s visit to Leicester.
Arsenal quickly doubled their lead as Leandro Trossard finished off a well-worked team move
Captain Martin Odegaard made it three from the penalty spot after Bukayo Saka was brought down
Kai Havertz duly converted after finding himself through on goal just minutes later
The 25-year-old’s strike marked his first league goal since their win over Southampton last month
Gabriel Magalhaes, a doubt for the game, was first on the scoresheet in the 10th minute, glancing home from Bukayo Saka’s inswinging corner in what was another success from Arsenal set-piece coach Nicholas Jover’s coveted playbook.
Michail Antonio didn’t cover himself in glory, losing the Brazilian’s back post run. But the West Ham striker isn’t the first to be made to look silly by Arsenal’s consistent brilliance from dead situations. He won’t be the last either.
It was no more than Arsenal deserved. Their start was confident and controlled, Gabriel’s opener simply applied the inevitable icing on the cake.
Crycensio Summerville thought he’d responded with a sweet finish of his own, cooly lifting over goalkeeper David Raya following some rare slackness in Arsenal’s midfield, but the goal was ruled out by VAR for offside.
Jurrien Timber nearly caught West Ham out with a near identical set-piece to the one that provided the basis of Arsenal going ahead but the Dutchman’s header was saved by Lukasz Fabianski.
The West Ham keeper, however, was about to be caught in an unrelenting blitz.
Martin Odegaard’s return to fitness has reinvigorated an Arsenal team that looked devoid of ideas without him.
His latest flash of brilliance, a sublime scooped pass to unlock West Ham’s defence, was worth the entrance fee alone.
West Ham fans supporters began departing the stadium in droves as their side went 4-0 down
But the Hammers kept pressing in search of a goal to ignite some hope of an unlikely comeback
Arsenal were caught sleeping defensively shortly after as Aaron Wan-Bissaka pulled on back
Emerson netted an inch-perfect free kick just minutes later to give the homes fans something to celebrate
Saka collected the outrageous before squaring to Leandro Trossard, who tapped home to double Arsenal’s advantage.
If Arsenal are to overhaul Liverpool then Saka and Odegaard will be at the heart of it all.
Here, again, the pair were untouchable. Saka was scythed down by Lucas Paqueta moments later, leading to Odegaard putting Arsenal three-up from the spot before Max Kilman’s missed clearance from Trossard’s pass allowed Kai Havertz to make it four.
By this point, West Ham fans were leaving in their droves. They’d seen enough.
But they hadn’t seen it all. Credit to the Hammers, first Aaron Wan-Bissaka cooly slotted past Raya before Emerson Palmieri stroked home a beautifully arcing free kick n the 41st minute to somehow halve Arsenal’s lead before half time.
Those who’d rushed for the gates were, at this point, probably trying to persuade stadium staff to let them back in – though the awarding of a second Arsenal penalty when Fabianski was penalised for catching Magalhaes with a flying fist when trying to divert another Saka corner may have seen them turn back around.
This time it was Saka who took on the responsibility to stroke home the seventh goal of a relentless first-half.
Conceding those two quickfire goals had certainly taken the gloss of what was a first-half display bursting with brilliance from the Gunners.
Arsenal’s first half rout wasn’t over yet however, and Bukayo Saka made it five from 12 yards
Mikel Arteta had the luxury of making changes in the second half with his side holding a commanding lead
The second half couldn’t hope to live up to the drama of the first as Arsenal took their foot of the pedal
Substitute Danny Ings had a golden opportunity to add another consolation but was unable to convert
Yet, the gulf in class between the two sides was clear as day, or certainly as clear as the three goal chasm that had opened.
Lopetegui, sat alongside technical director Tim Steidten, would have felt powerless. With earpiece in situ, no amount of instruction down to the bench would have stemmed this ferocious Arsenal tide.
Fair play to West Ham, they didn’t down tools in the second half and they could have added further respectability to the scoreline had Danny Ings not missed an open goal in injury time.
But by that point Arsenal were coasting, Arteta having the luxury to take off Odegaard and Saka as his team sauntered to victory.
Arteta will enjoy his Sunday watching Arsenal’s title rivals go toe-to-toe. Lopetegui…not so much.
