West Ham United v. Arsenal | PREMIER LEAGUE HIGHLIGHTS | 4/16/2023 | NBC Sports

Yeah, a few changes to the team that won 1-0 last week against Fulham. It's gone from a back three to a back four to deal with Arsenal's attack. Suchet and Rice, they've got a really important job on today to stop the control of Arsenal in the middle of the field. Bowen and Benrahma, got to be two-way players in the wide areas. We know Michael Antonio will keep the back four honest with his physicality and running in behind. Unbeaten in their last eight in the Premier League. This is the Gunners. Yeah, big news now Zinchenko, precautionary groin injury. So Tierney comes in on the left side. Very different profile. May affect the way that Arsenal play. Xhaka, Partey and Odegaard will control the game in the middle of the field. And they've got an attacking front four with 34 goals between them. A derby replete with angst, tension and jeopardy for Arsenal. The need to respond to events at Anfield last week and the yeti had yesterday. West Ham know that any further damage to Gunners hopes will greatly enhance their own. It's not so prevalent in the game against on Thursday where David Moyes made eight changes, but he's back the strongest possible team today, at least in his eyes, not necessarily in that of the supporters. Xhaka, Partey, it was a clever cushion layoff. This is excellent from Arsenal. Brilliant. Jesus, six and a half minutes in. And the Gunners take another significant step. And that's how you respond to Man City winning yesterday. One of my fears for West Ham today, when I looked at the lineups, was Xhaka up against Cresswell and Martinelli against Soufal. Well, when Xhaka picks up possession, he's 1v1 with Cresswell. He needs a bit of help. Benrahma comes back, tries to help him. But look at the way they manipulate the ball. He plays a little one, two. He drifts into the middle. They just keep the ball in tight areas. Soufal's the deepest man. He plays Ben White on. And then, because he's so deep, he switches off and doesn't see Jesus behind him. It's intricate. It's clever. It's brilliant from Arsenal. Fabulous football. It's on a plate he cannot miss. The perfect start for them. Well, after the frustrations of his three-month injury and forced layoff, Gabriel Jesus has hit the ground running. And the crowd already, you can sense it. They've gone quiet. There's a sense radiating from the terraces that this could be a long afternoon for West Ham United. Tierney back for Martin Allick. He showed no effect to that knock that he picked up. It's a great ball in! That's it, too, from Arsenal. For West Ham, it's all going wrong again. A side with real title-winning pedigree. And for all of the experience on the West Ham bench, they know they've got a major problem now. Yeah, they certainly do. I mean, he had two goes at it, Martin Allick. When he picks this ball up, I'm thinking, get tight, stop the cross. Look at Socek. He backs off and allows him to put the ball into the area. Then he gets himself back into the space. Souffal does a better job of getting tight, but not tight enough. And he delivers a teasing cross to the far post. Full-back switching off. We've seen already Souffal switching off for the opener. And they switch off at the far post again for the second. Erdogan's able to creep in at that far stick and guide it past Lukasz Fabianski. A dream start for Arsenal. His fourth goal in London derbies this season. His 11th of the campaign. Arsenal two up inside 10 minutes. Pakata going down under the challenge. Frustration for Gabriel. And almost out of nothing, West Ham have the chance to throw themselves a lifeline. Well, in the first couple of minutes, Declan Rice really pushed in. Was playing really high. And was pressing against Arsenal's midfield. And he does it again. Up against Partey. Slips in Pakata. And Gabriel brings him down. It's a penalty all day long. Hand side. Benrama has the chance to get West Ham United back into this game. Scored at Arsenal earlier this season. Can he score against them again? He can! Of Arsenal dominance. But will he lead the show for it? Well, West Ham were lifeless the first half an hour. They've now got a lifeline. Sending Ramsdale the wrong way. David Moyes senses a way back for his West Ham side. Maybe a little bit more of a test of Arsenal's mettle after all. Bowen peels away. In he comes. And Ramsdale just having to flash a hand at it to help it on its way over the bar. Antonio denied. And West Ham have got themselves back in this. This is a good ball. A really good ball. He may actually have been offside, Antonio. It wasn't given. A lot of movement inside that penalty area. Until Saka addresses the ball. Good ball in towards the near post. It took a potentially potent flick as well. Big appeals for handball. And the referee is going to give a... Nical Antonio, the West Ham player involved. Second penalty of the game given. And this isn't going to get overturned. He's arms out. He blocks the path of the ball. Score against West Ham United. In December in a 3-1 win. This to give Arsenal a 3-1 lead. He scored them all in the Premier League this season. He has scored that one. And Arsenal can't find that little bit of insurance they need. Still all to play for. How big a moment is this in the title race? Saka had stayed away from the ball. Jesus had looked after it at the last minute. It was Saka that took responsibility. Fails to hit the target. It goes without saying. The next goal in this game. The way that it is set up at the moment. Absolutely crucial. Not necessarily just to what happens today. It's a good ball over the top. In the title race. Has struck twice. Arsenal two up last week. Peck back to 2-2. Moments after Saka had a chance to make it. 3-1 to Arsenal. Bowen makes it two apiece. What an incredible 60 seconds. Peketar goes short. I'm thinking don't go short. Just put it into the box. That's where you've caused the chaos. That's exactly what they do. On the return ball into the area. They allow Jarrah Bowen to arrive from an onside position. And he's got a lot to do. They just lift it into an area. They're not picking out Jarrah Bowen. But he arrives on the scene. And he catches it sweetly. And he catches Ramsdale by surprise. He gets a hand to it. But he can't keep it out. Well, well, well. Well, Peketar's giving it away. Looking for Cresswell. Sold him short. Arsenal will get the bodies forward. Three against two for a moment. Can they make the most of this? It's Peketar Saka. Goes for goal. Straight at Fabianski. There's a hand of an apology from Peketar. I'll tell you what. Keira does a really good job, actually. Because he doesn't come across to Saka too early. And leave the man in the middle. You can see he's thinking about when to make that move out to Saka. It's just a case of delaying him. Okay, allows him to come back inside. But he didn't vacate his area. Did really well. Last time out in that horror show against Newcastle. Still Jared Bowen. Tierney did really well. Stayed with him. Step by steps. He hurt himself in the process of making that block. And he's an essential piece of defending. It was different class from Tierney. Super from Bowen again. To get in behind that. Arsenal defence. But he sticks with him. And that's what I said about Tierney being slightly better defensively than Zinchenko. Trying to grind something out here. But it's Peketar. Getting the hammers on the front foot. Benrama. Against the better of Holding. Oh, it's a good ball in. Antonio's hit the frame of the goal. And this time the inches do go Arsenal's way. Oh, wow. What a chance. Brilliant from Benrama again. Holding makes a bad decision. He hasn't quite got the legs to get there ahead of Benrama. But tries to win it. And allows Benrama just to lift that towards the far post. And he's got the goal to aim at. Ramsdale's coming across. Tierney's coming across. So close. And the referee signals the end of the game. Is this the day? Unforeseen twist in the plot of the most absorbing title race. For a second successive Sunday. Arsenal two up and peg back. See two points go west. The Kyosakas miss penalty. Pivotal. Not just today. But in the whole story of the nine months of the 22-23 campaign. He missed. Jared Bowen didn't a couple of minutes later at the other end. And it ends 2-2. Big day for West Ham. For even more Premier League content. From original series to live matches. Head over to Peacock. And be sure to tune in for Premier League mornings every weekend. On USA Network and on Peacock. We will see you over there.