Arsenal just exploded in attack with a superb performance against Crystal Palace, winning 5-1 at Selhurst Park.

After failing to score in the league for 11 months, injury-prone Brazilian Gabriel Jesus returned to his true potential form by netting two goals within the first 15 minutes.

Jesus opened the score in the sixth minute, then quickly scored a second goal to highlight his clinical finishing. Declan Rice added the fifth goal, so highlighting Arsenal’s attacking ability. Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli also helped to shape the scoreline.

Though the outcome was clear-cut, questions surfaced about Bukayo Saka, who was forced off in the 23rd minute with a hamstring injury. Manager Mikel Arteta expressed some serious worry over the degree of the injury when Saka, who had earlier offered an assist, was seen leaving the stadium on crutches.

However, Arsenal showed some vulnerable moments, giving Palace several decent chances, needing some top saves from keeper David Raya.

Sarr was a constant threat for Palace, scoring their only goal and generating several chances to draw attention to areas needing some serious defensive work.

With this epic triumph, Arsenal move to third place in the Premier League closing the gap to leaders Liverpool to three points.

The Gunners’ attacking performance, especially Jesus’s, gives some much-needed hope for the title contest after some frustrating results so far this season. Saka’s possible absence, though, could complicate the crowded fixture calendar ahead.

Arsenal will play Ipswich and Brentford in next few games and will be looking to blow teams like them away.

The squad’s depth will be tested, particularly in case Saka’s injury sidelines him for a potentially long time due to what some are reporting as a serious hamstring injury. To cover the void left by the young winger, Arteta might have to depend on players like Leandro Trossard, who replaced Saka during the game.

Overall, the injury to Bukayo Saka clouds the success even if Arsenal’s strong victory against Crystal Palace highlights our attacking power and improves our league position. I have a good feeling though. If Jesus can stay fit and in form, then the Gunners could go on a serious run to keep the pressure on Liverpool and Chelsea who currently occupy the top 2.

The Arsenal are back – Big time! But, we still need a world-class striker (like Toney) to take us to the next level in my opinion despite bagging five goals against dreadful West Ham.

Arsenal’s Statement of Intent
This emphatic win serves as a statement from Arsenal that we can be genuine contenders for a top two finish this season. The confidence and drive the lads showed for the most of last season has been restored thanks to the cooperation between important players like Saka and Ødegaard and a strong defence.

The Gunners have rediscovered our attacking flair, and with the squad regaining fitness, Arteta’s side appears poised to challenge at the top end of the table. Keeping up this momentum will be very important as we get through a busy December which will hopefully include a few Liverpool, Man City and Chelsea slipups.

Much Needed Hope for Us Dreamers
If we can go on a run then, despite being so far ahead, Liverpool had better watch out. Arsenal’s display against West Ham was not just about the goals but the manner in which they were scored. The team exhibited creativity, cohesion, and a ruthless edge in front of goal. If we can sustain this level of performance, the title race could become even more intriguing in the weeks to come.

With a 5-2 win over West Ham United at the London Stadium, Arsenal moved into second place in the Premier League. The Gunners scored all five goals in a stunning first half, showing how good they are at attacking. The Hammers were stunned. Arsenal closed the gap on league leaders Liverpool thanks in large part to Bukayo Saka, who scored a goal, set up two others, and won a penalty.

Dominance in the First Half: Arsenal’s Early Attack – The Gunners went into the game wanting to move up the table, and they wasted no time making their dominance clear. From the start, Arsenal had a lot of the ball, which pushed West Ham back and put them under early pressure.

Gabriel’s Goal:The first goal came from Gabriel Magalhães’s header in the 10th minute, after Bukayo Saka had delivered a perfect corner. Gabriel scored his fourth goal of the season, all of which came from set pieces. This shows how dangerous Arsenal can be when the ball is dead.

Trossard Doubles the Lead: Arsenal’s fluid attack kept West Ham on the defensive. The second goal was scored by Leandro Trossard after Saka and Martin Ødegaard played a nice pass. Odegaard’s beautiful lofted pass found Saka inside the box, and the defender kindly squared the ball for Trossard to finish.

Ødegaard from the Spot:The constant pressure led to a penalty when Lucas Paquetá tripped Saka. Saka had the ball at first, but he gave the penalty kick to captain Martin Ødegaard. He calmly put it low into the corner for his first goal of the season.

Havertz Adds a Fourth:The party wasn’t even over yet when Kai Havertz added a fourth. From deep in his own half, Trossard sent a great through ball that got past the West Ham defence. Havertz jumped on it quickly and calmly beat Łukasz Fabiański in goal, ending a remarkable nine-minute stretch in which Arsenal scored three goals.

A short comeback for West Ham – West Ham put up a strong fight right when it looked like Arsenal would easily win.

Wan-Bissaka’s Strike: Aaron Wan-Bissaka got one back for the Hammers by taking advantage of Carlos Soler’s pass that split the defence. Once Wan-Bissaka scored, David Raya had no chance. This gave the home team a small bit of hope.

Emerson’s Free-Kick Mastery: Outclassed West Ham was then given a free kick just outside the Arsenal area. Emerson Palmieri stepped up and hit a beautiful shot into the top corner, giving Raya no chance. When the score changed to 4–2, the London Stadium went crazy, and West Ham briefly had the upper hand.

Before halftime, Arsenal took back control.
West Ham didn’t have a chance to make a comeback as the first half came to a close.

Saka converted the second penalty.In extra time, another Saka corner caused chaos in the West Ham box. When Fabiański tried to punch the ball clear, he hit Gabriel in the head instead. The referee pointed to the spot, and this time Saka took the penalty himself. He confidently converted it, making the score 5-2 in favour of Arsenal.
This goal was the first time in Premier League history that Arsenal scored two penalties in the first half of a game. Seven goals were scored in the first half, which is only the fourth time in the history of the league that this has happened.

Second Half: Controlling the game and playing strong defence
The first half was very fast-paced, but the second half was much slower. Arsenal made changes. Gabriel was replaced by Jakub Kiwior, and Oleksandr Zinchenko came on to make the defence stronger.

Controlled Performance:Both teams had chances, but the Gunners were happy to keep control of the game by keeping possession and stopping West Ham from making any big gains.

West Ham’s Efforts:The home team tried to make a comeback. Michail Antonio missed a goal, and substitute Raheem Sterling occasionally posed a threat. But Arsenal’s defence held strong, and David Raya, the custodian, easily stopped any shots that were on goal.

Important Tekkers: Saka Bright shines
Hi, Bukayo Saka. There was a huge effect that Saka had on the game. With his goal and two assists, he has now helped set up 15 goals in just 13 Premier League games this season. He was very creative and clever at making defenders work hard, which is why he was named Player of the Match.

Martin Ødegaard:The captain’s return from injury has given Arsenal’s midfield a new lease on life. His passing and vision, as shown by the high assist to Saka, were very important in breaking down West Ham’s defence.

Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz: Both players made big contributions. Trossard scored and set up another goal, and Havertz scored his second league goal for the club.

Statistical Milestones and Record-Setting Goals: Mighty Arsenal have scored five or more goals in five different away games in all competitions this year, which is the same number of games as Sunderland (1892) and Manchester City (1937).

Saka has 10 assists in 13 league games, putting him in a very small group of players with this many assists. Only Mesut Özil, Cesc Fàbregas, and Harry Kane have scored 10 goals in fewer games.

Set-piece experts:Gabriel’s goal continued Arsenal’s trend of scoring from corners. They have scored 20 corners-based goals since the beginning of last season, which is the most in the league during that time.

What the manager and players thought
Mikel Arteta: The Arsenal manager was happy with how his team played, especially how quickly they got going. “We started incredibly well, so positive, so much energy and a lot of quality,” he noted. Arteta also talked about how important it is for the team to have multiple goal-scoring threats, which makes them “much more unpredictable.”

When Saka thought about his own performance: He put the team’s success ahead of his own praise. “I am taking a lot of pleasure from creating and scoring but the greatest pleasure is to win,” he said.

Julen Lopetegui: The West Ham manager was angry about defensive mistakes and decisions that were questioned. As he pointed to the first goal, he said that his team wasn’t making good defensive decisions and suggested that there had been a foul in the buildup.

What it means for the Premier League standings
With their win, Arsenal moves into second place, six points behind Liverpool in first. With Liverpool facing Manchester City, the Gunners have intensified the pressure on both title rivals. Arsenal has been playing very well lately, with three wins in a row and 13 goals scored. This shows that they want to stay in the title race.

Fixtures Coming Soon
Arsenal: Their next Premier League game is at home against Manchester United. Then they play Fulham in another London derby. The busy schedule in December will test their team’s depth and consistency.

Arsenal’s 3-0 demolition of Nottingham Forest begs the question: where has this Arsenal been all season? Dominance, energy, and ruthless efficiency were on display, but fans can’t help but wonder why it’s taken this long to see such a performance. Is this a turning point or just another false dawn?

Should Arteta be putting more faith in young Ethan Nwaneri? I keep saying he should but the Gunners boss seems set on using him only sparingly. THis could have been a great time to start my favourite young Arsenal player.

Mikel Arteta himself seemed relieved with the win and his tactics, saying, “I sensed great energy in the last 48 hours. The team straight away from the beginning.. you know, it was a flow, it was a dominance, it was enthusiasm. This is what I demanded.”

Forest, unbeaten away from home this season, couldn’t match Arsenal’s energy. Arteta acknowledged their threat: “Forest are a really good side. Every time they have the ball, they play direct… That’s why they’ve done what they’ve done. They hadn’t lost away from home, and we were the first to beat them.”

With Liverpool winning yet again, the pressure is on Arsenal to keep this energy going. Can this performance spark the consistency fans have been waiting for? I bloody well hope so.