Arsenal fightback denies West Ham in six-goal thriller

Arsenal came from 3-0 down to claim a 3-3 draw at West Ham on Sunday, but a share of the points from a thrilling encounter did little for either side’s hopes of a top-four Premier League finish.

A blistering start from the Hammers had them three goals up inside 32 minutes thanks to goals from Jesse Lingard, Jarrod Bowen and Tomas Soucek.

But own goals from Soucek and Craig Dawson cut Arsenal’s deficit before Alexandre Lacazette’s header rescued a point eight minutes from time.

West Ham remain in fifth, but are two points adrift of fourth-placed Chelsea.

Arsenal’s realistic hopes of Champions League football next season now hinge on success in the Europa League as they are nine points adrift of the top four down in ninth.

Mikel Arteta’s men suffered a hangover from their European exertions in midweek as they progressed to the quarter-finals despite a 1-0 home defeat by Olympiakos.

West Ham took full advantage of a sluggish start from the visitors.

Lingard was recalled to the England squad by Gareth Southgate for his fine form since joining on loan from Manchester United in January.

The midfielder smashed into the top corner from just outside the box for his fifth goal in seven games for the Hammers.

Two minutes later, Lingard’s quick thinking created the second for David Moyes’s men as his free-kick caught Arsenal napping and Bowen beat Bernd Leno at his near post.

The Gunners were all over the place defensively in the opening half-hour and were caught out again when Michail Antonio’s header was deflected in by Soucek.

West Ham were cruising towards three points which would have brought them level on points with Chelsea at that stage.

However, Arsenal awakened from their slumber before the break.

Soucek was credited with a deflected goal at both ends as Lacazette’s fierce strike flicked off the Czech and high beyond former Arsenal goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.

Bukayo Saka then fired too close to the Polish international moments later with the chance to pull back another goal.

Instead, it was another West Ham mistake which got Arsenal right back in the game just after the hour mark as Dawson diverted Calum Chambers’s driven cross into his own net.

The home side were penned back inside their own box for much of the second period, but still had two clear chances to seal victory on the break.

Kieran Tierney made two brilliant blocks to deny Bowen and Antonio before Antonio hit the post form point-blank range as he stretched to reach Said Benrahma’s cross.

A week on from being dropped for ill discipline prior to the north London derby, Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was hauled off by Arteta 10 minutes from time as he chased an equaliser. But Aubameyang was still making his way back to the bench when Lacazette headed home another brilliant cross from the Arsenal right, this time by Nicolas Pepe.

West Ham had come from 3-0 down to claim a point themselves earlier this season at Tottenham.

But it could have been even worse for the hosts as Pepe fired meekly into the arms of Fabianski with the chance to complete a stunning comeback in the dying moments.

Brighton thrash Newcastle to ease relegation fears: Brighton surged six points clear of the Premier League relegation zone with a comprehensive 3-0 win over Newcastle on Saturday to pile more pressure on Magpies boss Steve Bruce.

Leandro Trossard, Danny Welbeck and Neal Maupay were on target for the Seagulls as for once this season Graham Potter’s men turned their dominance into goals.

Potter said his side deserved the win after a dominant performance. “Really pleased, I thought the performance was fantastic,” he said. “We were brave and smart and we were the dominant team. The way we got the points tonight will give the players a lot of confidence and belief. It’s three important points but we need to keep going,” Potter added.

Brighton had won just once at home in the league since June, but increased Newcastle’s relegation fears.

Bruce’s men remain just two points clear of third-bottom Fulham, albeit with a game in hand to come.

However, momentum is against Newcastle as they have won just two of their last 19 games.

“It’s difficult to digest at the moment. We simply weren’t anywhere near good enough on the night,” said Bruce.

“Fair play to Brighton, they were better in every department.”

The visitors also suffered the latest in a series of injury blows as Isaac Hayden was stretchered off before half-time with what looked like a serious knee problem. Brighton took advantage of the first-half stoppage time added on for the Hayden injury as Trossard smartly brought the ball under control and cut inside before finding the bottom corner with a well-struck shot.

Agencies