Arsenal beat West Ham 1-0 at the Emirates on Sunday, with Leandro Trossard scoring the only goal shortly after half time. It was not a vintage performance — Arteta's side were edgy, and West Ham made things difficult for long stretches — but three points are three points, and in the context of where both clubs sit right now, this result mattered enormously in very different ways. For Arsenal, it keeps the pressure on for a top-two finish. For West Ham, it was their fifth away defeat in six matches and has pushed them deeper into the relegation scrap.
How Trossard made the difference
The goal came on 54 minutes. Bukayo Saka created space on the right, pulled the ball back, and Trossard arrived late at the edge of the area to hit a first-time finish through a crowd of bodies. It was the kind of goal that requires both technical quality and the nerve to pull the trigger in a tight game. Trossard has been one of Arsenal's most reliable performers this season — not always the loudest name on the teamsheet, but consistently there when it counts. This was his 11th goal contribution of the season across all competitions, which for a player in what is essentially a wide support role is genuinely impressive.
What the result means for Arsenal's season
Arsenal are not going to win the league this season — that ship has sailed, with Manchester City's late surge putting them out of reach — but finishing second ahead of Chelsea and Newcastle is still very much live. The Champions League final on May 30 against PSG gives Arteta something much bigger to focus on, and you get the sense the domestic results are being managed with one eye on Budapest. Sunday's win was professional more than it was inspired, which is exactly what you want from a squad that has a European final twelve days away.
West Ham's deepening crisis
Julen Lopetegui's side have now lost their last four away games without scoring. That stat captures the problem better than anything else — they are not just losing, they are going through spells where they look completely unable to generate any genuine threat on the road. The defeat leaves them in the bottom three on goal difference, level on points with Tottenham with three games remaining. Their next fixture is Newcastle away, which is not the kind of run-in a team fighting for survival would choose. The margin for error is gone.
Match details: Arsenal 1-0 West Ham United. Scorer: Leandro Trossard (54'). Venue: Emirates Stadium, Sunday 10 May 2026. Arsenal sit 2nd in the Premier League. West Ham drop into the bottom three on goal difference, equal on points with Tottenham. Three games remaining.
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