Mikel Arteta says Arsenal have 'momentum back' after crushing win over West Ham

Justin Kluivert creates history with hat-trick for Bournemouth, Ruud van Nistelrooy's Leicester struggle

Bukayo Saka celebrates scoring Arsenal's fifth goal against West Ham at the London Stadium. Getty Images

Arsenal completed a comprehensive 5-2 win over West Ham to move into second place in the Premier League and breathe fresh life into their title challenge.

Mikel Arteta's team dominated in the first half at the London Stadium, scoring five times to move six points behind leaders Liverpool, who host struggling champions Manchester City on Sunday.

Gabriel Magalhaes opened the scoring with an early goal before Leandro Trossard doubled Arsenal's lead. Martin Odegaard's penalty was followed by Kai Havertz's ninth goal this season.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Emerson struck in quick succession for West Ham, but Bukayo Saka's penalty capped a superb performance from the Arsenal forward.

The Gunners have roared back into form after three thumping wins in the space of a week.

Having gone five Premier League matches without a win until they beat Nottingham Forest 3-0 last weekend, Arsenal then thrashed Sporting Lisbon 5-1 in the Champions League on Tuesday.

They then put in another five-star display at the London Stadium.

Arteta believes the Gunners have got momentum back in their title race after a "crazy" win.

"That tells you how crazy it was," said Arteta. "A spectacular 30 minutes, straight away showed how much the team wanted it, to score three great goals in different ways and then the fourth.

"But then after that we had a period with the quality of them, at 4-2 and it's game on, the energy changed. And what's next? So it was great to score the fifth one and we could play a very different game in the second half.

"We've got some momentum, some flow back, three consecutive wins is great. We're going to enjoy tonight and watch a good game of football tomorrow.

"We are in a great moment. But in football, be on your toes. It's so competitive. We'll analyse today and go again tomorrow."

Before turning his attention to Wednesday's crucial clash with Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium, Arteta will settle down to watch Liverpool's showdown with City.

A win for Arne Slot's table-toppers would reopen the nine-point advantage over Arsenal, so, while he wouldn't say it publicly, he will surely be supporting the club he once served as Pep Guardiola's assistant.

"We had to do our job and we've done it today in a really convincing way. Tomorrow we will enjoy the match, a beautiful game of football," Arteta said.

Kluivert creates history

Bournemouth forward Justin Kluivert said he was thrilled to become the first player in Premier League history to score a hat-trick of penalties in a single match as he spurred his side to a 4-2 win over Wolves.

The 25-year-old Netherlands international, who is the son of Dutch great Patrick Kluivert, punished an error-strewn display from Wolves, converting two first-half penalties and another one in the second spell to snap Bournemouth's two-match losing streak.

With the victory at the Molineux Stadium, Bournemouth sit 11th in the table with 18 points from 13 games, while Wolves dropped back into the relegation zone in 18th place with nine points.

"That sounds beautiful (the record). To go in the history books, that's amazing, super happy with it," Kluivert said.

"I train them (the penalties). We have a great goalkeeper with Kepa (Arrizabalaga). We try some stuff, the first one I stop, and look at the keeper, what is he doing? I switch it up for the second one. Then the third, he doesn't know what I'm going to do. I waited and he chose for me. Easy as that."

Meanwhile, Leicester manager Ruud van Nistelrooy witnessed at first hand the scale of his task to keep the team in the Premier League.

Leicester were beaten at Brentford 4-1, with Van Nistelrooy sitting in the stands rather than in the dugout. He officially takes over as coach on Sunday after arriving as the replacement for Steve Cooper.

Kevin Schade scored a hat trick and Yoane Wissa also netted for Brentford, who had to come from behind after Facunda Buonanotte’s 21st-minute opener.

Van Nistelrooy, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid striker, will begin his first full-time managerial role in England with Leicester in 16th place and just one point above the relegation zone.

“We just had the messages last night (from Van Nistelrooy) when the appointment was made," said Leicester first-team coach Ben Dawson. “He wished everyone good luck and the plan is to catch up tomorrow at the training ground.”