An emphatic second-half performance ensured that Arsenal avoided an unexpected stumble, instead earning a 3-1 win over West Ham.

Said Benrahma's coolly converted penalty, following a foul on Jarrod Bowen, had initially given David Moyes' side an unlikely lead, just before the half-hour mark. The visitors were able to see their advantage through to the interval. However, following the restart, that all swiftly changed. 

Goals from all of Arsenal's forward line - Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Eddie Nketiah - ensured that the game was all but done, before the clock ticked past 70 minutes.

The hosts extend their perfect home record in this season's Premier League and sit seven points clear at the top of the table; eight ahead of Manchester City, who have a game in hand.

A fourth league defeat in a row means that West Ham remain just a single point above the relegation zone, in 16th place.

Here are some of the main takeaways from the Emirates Stadium:

Young Gunners show maturity to complete comeback

Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images

While it was, still, a fairly impressive first-half performance from yesterday's hosts, the scoreline would have caused some trepidation among the home support, as half-time arrived. 

After 12 wins from their 14 pre-World Cup league fixtures, for a brief moment, it seemed that Arsenal's early season momentum may have deserted them. Had West Ham been able to hold on for a win, or at least a point, that conversation would likely have been instigated.

Instead, the second half saw Mikel Arteta's team put in a dominant performance and swiftly avert any of those negative thoughts. A nerveless start to the second half demonstrated that this, despite the youthfulness of it, is a mature and mentally strong team.

Bigger tests of character will likely come towards the end of this season, should Arsenal be able to enter the latter stages of the campaign with their title hopes intact. However, games like yesterday are just as important as any of those crunch fixtures may be. 

After missing out on a top four finish last season, following a late stumble, Arsenal will hope that they will be able to learn from that experience and ensure this season will lead to a happier ending. 

As you would expect, given their remarkable league record, this is a very settled Arsenal team. Bar Nketiah and Kieran Tierney, the rest of the starting 11 have been a part of a very consistent Premier League team selection. 

So far, no player has given Arteta any reasons to doubt their future involvement and ability to contribute towards their ongoing title challenge. 

Attacking options are the focus ahead of tough fixture run

Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images
Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images

However, Arsenal are on the search for reinforcements, with the January transfer window approaching. 

Yesterday, before and after the evening kick-off, there were some developments in Arsenal's pursuit of an additional attacking option - Mykhaylo Mudryk. It was revealed that Shakhtar Donetsk have a bid 'on the table' for the winger. 

The injury of Gabriel Jesus, who is expected to be out until at least another two months, means that Nketiah remains as the team's only recognised centre forward. 

An extremely well-taken goal yesterday will go some way towards ensuring that the 23-year-old can keep his place in the 11, with the challenging list of upcoming fixtures approaching.

Arsenal's next four league assignments will see them travel to an impressive Brighton team, host second-placed Newcastle, have an away North London derby and then face Manchester United. 

With that tough run imminent and a lot to play for during the second half of the season, it is intriguing to see how Arsenal will approach this January window. The pursuit of Mudryk seems to be the priority for the league leaders, who may just be currently lacking one body in their attacking unit.

West Ham need to earn the privilege to focus on Europe

Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

It already seemed quite obvious that West Ham's quest for a third consecutive European place finish in the league was dead and burried.

Prior to the World Cup break, performances and results had been very disappointing and not up to the standards that Moyes' team had set themselves, throughout the 2020/21 and 21/22 seasons. This has meant that their best hope of success this season now lies in the UEFA Europa Conference League.

Following their comfortable group stage stroll, West Ham will enter the Round of 16 of the competition in March and it is imperative that they improve their league position, before then. This would allow for the focus to be completely shifted towards aiming to win that competition and, in turn, securing a third consecutive season of European football. 

However, should The Hammers continue to remain precariously above the relegation zone, it will be difficult to switch all attention away from avoiding a potential drop into the Championship - potentially negatively impacting their chances of European success.

The issue for West Ham is that the poor results have not simply been a case of bad luck. From their 16 league games, it is difficult to think of any, including any of their four wins, where they have looked overly convincing and even close to the level of a team like Arsenal.

In order to be able to fully embrace the upcoming European spring and look forward to the brilliant memories it may bring - akin to West Ham's contests against Sevilla and Lyon, last season - they must address their sub-par performances and league position, early on in 2023.

Summer spree has led to significant regression

Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images

After a busy summer window, bringing the likes of the much-hyped Lucas Paqueta and Gianluca Scamacca to London Stadium and adding much-needed further depth to the squad, West Ham have, somewhat unexpectedly, managed to regress. 

Last season's stumble over the finish line - picking up just five points from their last seven league games - could have easily been excused by the focus shifting towards the UEFA Europa League, in which West Ham reached the semi-final stage.

This time around, such excuses cannot be made. West Ham have exerted full focus on their domestic campaign, amidst a comfortable negotiation of their UECL group, where they were mostly able to rotate their squad. 

For David Moyes, it seems as if the success of the last two seasons is what is ensuring that he retains his position as manager of the club, as there certainly have not been any particularly encouraging signs coming from this season, to support his cause.

None of the new signings have been able to fully integrate themselves into the team and have a positive impact, following their arrival. It seems that, more than anything, they have disrupted the familiarity which had developed from being able to maintain a fairly stable core from a compact squad, throughout the last two campaigns. 

Although it will probably be little consolation to the West Ham board, but it seems to justify the conservative approach which they had taken prior to this summer, in regard to player signings. In hindsight, the 2022 summer splurge has not brought anything close to the benefit which may have been expected from it and the signs for that changing do not seem overly encouraging. 

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