Arsenal's title hopes hit by Bowen’s winner in West Ham victory

Arsenal squandered the chance to close the gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool as West Ham ended their four-match winless run with a hard-fought victory at Emirates Stadium on 22 February.

Jarrod Bowen scored the decisive goal late in the first half, starting the move by winning possession on the edge of his own box before feeding Aaron Wan-Bissaka and finishing the full-back's cross with a stooping header for his 50th Premier League goal.

The Gunners, who would have moved within five points of Liverpool with a win, struggled to break down a resilient West Ham side that defended superbly and carved out the better chances across the 90 minutes.

Arsenal's task became even harder when Myles Lewis-Skelly was sent off in the second half for dragging down Mohammed Kudus near the halfway line. Referee Craig Pawson initially showed a yellow card, but a VAR review upgraded it to red for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.

Leandro Trossard came closest to an equaliser, forcing Alphonse Areola into a smart save with a low shot, while Ben White, making his first appearance in over three months, drilled an effort narrowly wide late on. Arsenal ended the match with just two shots on target.

West Ham comfortably saw out the final minutes to move 13 points clear of the relegation zone and level on points with Manchester United, though they remain 16th due to an inferior goal difference.

The defeat leaves Arsenal vulnerable to falling further behind in the title race, with Liverpool now able to extend their lead to 11 points if they win at Manchester City on Sunday.

Mikel Arteta's side will look to recover when they visit Nottingham Forest on 26 February, while Liverpool host Newcastle the same evening.