Match report – Arsenal title hopes take a hit after blowing two goal lead

On paper, Arsenal should have come away from the London Stadium with all three points and after going two goals up within the first ten minutes it looked as if that would be the case.

However, for the second week running Arsenal gave up a two-goal lead and had to settle for a point against relegation-battling West Ham United.

It really did look good at the start, with Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard both scoring and putting Arsenal in the driving seat but just as happened against Liverpool last week, the lads took their foot off the pedal and allowed their opponents to get back into the game just before half time.

It was a debatable penalty that the Hammers got but even at that point, Arsenal should still have gone on and won.

The second half kicked off and Arsenal got a penalty themselves but uncharacteristically, Bukayo Saka sent the ball wide which will no doubt bring up questions about whether Jesus should have taken the spot kick.

Still, Arsenal was in the lead but not for long and Jarrod Bowen popped up with the equaliser and there was a feeling that this just was not going to be Arsenal’s day.

Both sides had their chances to grab a winner but a draw is what it was come the end of the game.

Truth be told, this was a sub-par performance from Arsenal after they took the two-goal lead, they just did not seem themselves, Saka was not at his best, Odegaard was lacking his usual creativity and even Thomas Partey looked a shadow of himself today.

Obviously, some will now question whether the pressure is getting to Arsenal, time will tell but there is no hiding the fact that this was a very disappointing result when you are fighting Man City for the title.

It is starting to look as if the game at the Etihad is now a must-win game.