West Ham 0 – 6 Arsenal

Declan Rice’s long-range goal capped a stunning demolition of his former side West Ham as Arsenal claimed a 6-0 win at the London Stadium to stay within two points of leaders Liverpool.

The fixture was billed as a tough assignment for Mikel Arteta’s side following two defeats to West Ham earlier in the season but the hosts completely capitulated as four goals in 15 first-half minutes sent many fans streaming towards the exits early.

William Saliba’s header from Rice’s corner set the wheels in motion, with Bukayo Saka adding a second from the penalty spot before Gabriel Magalhaes headed home another Rice set-piece and Leandro Trossard added a brilliantly-taken fourth.

Arsenal continued to tear through the abject hosts in the second half, adding two more goals in as many minutes as Saka capitalised on static defending to finish at the near post before Rice’s brilliant curler from 25 yards out completed the rout.

The extraordinary victory, Arsenal’s joint-biggest in an away league game, allows the Gunners to draw level with second-placed Manchester City on goal difference, maintaining their title hopes following last Sunday’s win over Liverpool.

For West Ham, meanwhile, it marks a dark day, the joint-heaviest home league defeat in their history extending their winless run to seven games and piling pressure on manager David Moyes.

Watch: All the goals

How Arsenal punished woeful Hammers

The game was relatively even for the opening quarter of an hour but Arsenal soon seized the upper hand and set about inflicting merciless punishment as West Ham’s capitulation began.

The visitors had already created a string of chances before the opener, with Alphonse Areola brilliantly denying Trossard from the best of them, but Saliba’s header caused the floodgates to open.

Rice, booed on his return to his former side, was the creator-in-chief as his corner found Saliba at the far post. The midfielder then set up Arsenal’s third from another dead-ball delivery as his diagonal free-kick was flicked in by the unmarked Gabriel.

Either side of those two goals, there was the penalty won and converted by Saka as he put his costly miss in this fixture last season behind him having latched onto an excellent pass by Trossard and drew contact from Areola as he rushed out.

Saka’s penalty sent West Ham fans streaming towards the exits and their numbers grew as the bombardment continued with Trossard adding the fourth, curling home a superb finish from Martin Odegaard’s pass after more woeful defending.

Moyes sought to stem the flow at half-time by throwing on Kalvin Phillips and Konstantinos Mavropanos for Kurt Zouma and Edson Alvarez but Arsenal picked up where they left off.

Areola denied Saka with a quick reaction save as the pressure continued but he produced the fifth goal minutes later as he collected Odegaard’s pass following patient build-up play, then cut inside and fired home clinically at the near post.

At that point, it seemed implausible that West Ham’s afternoon could get even worse but it did, and it was particularly painful that Rice was the man to compound their misery.

It seemed Arsenal had missed the chance when a miscommunication between Odegaard and Trossard saw the ball run between them, but Rice was there to arc a wonderful, curling shot over Areola and into the net.

The 25-year-old, who had lost his previous two meetings with his former side this season, declined the opportunity to celebrate out of respect, despite the early boos of the West Ham fans.

Arteta had the luxury of bringing off Rice and Saka after that, with 16-year-old Ethan Nwaneri handed a late cameo for his second Premier League appearance as Arsenal celebrated another statement win and the West Ham inquest began.

Arteta delighted to make history with big win

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, speaking to Sky Sports:

“I’m extremely happy. The way we performed, the way we played. Such a big score in a really difficult place tells you a lot about how well the boys played today.

“It’s great to make [club] history especially the way we have done it. We’re in a good moment and we you have good moments you have to build and maintain the momentum. The team from the beginning looked really sharp. We had to put right the last two results against them and that was a good motivation for the boys.”

On Bukayo Saka: “When you talk about consistency at his age…what he has done in the last two or three seasons in remarkable. His attitude, his quality, what he delivers every week, it’s really difficult to find. That’s why he is so important to us.”

On Declan Rice: “It’s always difficult to come back to your old club. The fans were really good to him. When he went to take the corner they clapped him so it’s great to see that kind of reception. He loves this club so much and I know what it meant to him to play today.

“We have to share the goals. That desire and that commitment to get into the box to make things happen, it was excellent.”

Keane: West Ham were a disgrace

Sky Sports’ Roy Keane, speaking at half-time:

“There are ways to lose a football match – West Ham have not turned up, they have not been physical, they are not tackling, no desire, no hunger, they look old and sluggish, they are not tracking back, no one has laid a glove on Odegaard.

“Moyes must be fuming at half-time, but all credit to Arsenal, they look sharp and at it and have turned up. West Ham, though, a disgrace.”

Sky Sports’ Paul Merson:

“Defending wise, if that happened in under-10s football you’d be going, ‘seriously?!’

“Not getting tight, showing them inside on to their proper foot, it is poor. I just think Arsenal made West Ham surrender and that is quite sad as a player as that is the one thing you do not want to do.

“There are ways of losing football matches. That is a horrible way and I feel sorry for David Moyes as that is not a Moyes team out there, they have let him down today.

“They work hard and the one thing you do not get done at West Ham is by set-plays, and they were poor with them today.”

What’s next?

West Ham and Arsenal are back in Premier League action next Saturday, with both games kicking off at 3pm.

West Ham travel to Nottingham Forest on February 17, while Arsenal travel to Burnley.

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