Premier League: Arsenal hit West Ham for six as Man United beat Villa to close gap

Gunners move level on points with Manchester City in second place, while Ten Hag's team continue resurgence

Bukayo Saka celebrates scoring his second and Arsenal's fifth goal in their 6-0 Premier League win over West Ham United at the London Stadium on February 11, 2024. Getty Images

Arsenal's Declan Rice slams home their sixth goal.

Declan Rice celebrates scoring Arsenal's final goal. Reuters

Bukayo Saka scores Arsenal's fifth goal. Getty Images

Arsenal's Leandro Trossard curls home their fourth goal. Reuters

Arsenal's Leandro Trossard celebrates scoring their fourth goal. Reuters

Arsenal's defender Gabriel heads home their third goal. Reuters

Gabriel celebrates scoring Arsenal's third goal. Reuters

Arsenal's Bukayo Saka celebrates scoring his team's second goal from the penalty spot. Getty Images

Bukayo Saka scores Arsenal's second goal from the penalty spot. AFP

West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola fouls Arsenal's Bukayo Saka to concede a penalty. Reuters

William Saliba heads Arsenal into the lead. Getty Images

Mikel Arteta hailed the performances of Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice after Arsenal thrashed West Ham 6-0 at the London Stadium.

Saka scored twice and Rice also found the net against his former club as the Gunners cruised to their biggest away win in the Premier League, with William Saliba, Gabriel and Leandro Trossard supplying the other goals.

Arteta's side stay third but are now behind second-placed Manchester City only on goals scored after wiping out a six-goal deficit on a memorable afternoon at the London Stadium.

“It’s great to make history and especially the way we’ve done it and the way we played,” Arteta told Sky Sports.

“We are in a good moment and when you have good moments you have to build and maintain the momentum.

“What [Saka's] done in the last two or three seasons is remarkable. His attitude, his quality and what he delivers every week is really difficult to find and that’s why he’s so important for us.

“It's always difficult to come back to your old club," added Arteta about Rice. "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.”

A stunning first half saw the Gunners race into a 4-0 lead, thanks to goals from Saliba, Gabriel, Saka and Trossard, leaving the home crowd stunned.

Saka wove through the West Ham defence to score his second after the break, before Rice made it 6-0 with a superb strike from distance.

It is West Ham's heaviest home Premier League defeat and joint-heaviest of all time, along with a 8-2 loss against Blackburn in 1963/64.

“It's one of those days which you don't want to happen very often, and it happened today,” said manager David Moyes.

“It's not been like my teams in the past. I'll take a bit of time and look at it and see if I can fix it. I take the responsibility, I pick the team but the players have to take responsibility.

“It's really important we do those jobs really well. We will always try to be as well organised as we can be. Arsenal were very good – we mustn't take that away. We weren't good.

McTominay's late winner for Man United stuns Villa

Scott McTominay came off the bench to snatch a late winner for Manchester United in a 2-1 victory against Aston Villa.

The win keeps alive United’s hopes of a top-four Premier League finish to guarantee Champions League football next season.

Erik ten Hag's side now sit five points behind fifth-placed Villa, with Tottenham a point ahead of the Midlanders in fourth.

United took an early lead at Villa Park through Rasmus Hojlund, who now has five goals in five games.

The Dane opened the scoring in the 17th minute after Bruno Fernandes' corner was headed down by Harry Maguire and Hojlund, fractionally onside, slotted past Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez from six yards.

Douglas Luiz deservedly levelled for Villa in the 67th minute. United failed to deal with a corner and when keeper Andre Onana saved Clement Lenglet's close-range flick, Raphael Varane could only scuff the ball towards Leon Bailey.

The forward picked out a perfect pass to Luiz and the Brazilian fired home from five yards before celebrating in flamboyant style in front of Onana.

That set the stage for United's second late winner against Villa this season as McTominay came off the bench to head home Diogo Dalot’s fine cross with just four minutes left.

Afterwards McTominay told Sky Sports: "We started really well, but they are a really good team and came back into it and caused us problems. The guys at the back were immense, particularly Harry [Maguire] and Raphael [Varane]. It was a top-level performance and a deserved win in the end.

"I feel like as long as I'm fit and healthy I can come on to the pitch and perform. I don't take it personally, I just want to come in and try and do the best I can for this. Long may it continue.

"Every game you win is massive for taking a step forward and confidence for the boys. It is all positive but it is about repeating it and not getting too far ahead of ourselves when we win a few. We've got to repeat it now."

Villa manager Unai Emery said: "I'm very proud of our work and of the players. We created chances but we couldn't score some clear chances.

"The result is tough for us and difficult to accept but that is football."