Arsenal Loses to West Ham to Dent Premier League Title Challenge and Has Another Player Sent Off

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta watches from the touchline during the English Premier League match between Arsenal FC and West Ham United, in London, Britain, 22 February 2025. (EPA)
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta watches from the touchline during the English Premier League match between Arsenal FC and West Ham United, in London, Britain, 22 February 2025. (EPA)
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Arsenal Loses to West Ham to Dent Premier League Title Challenge and Has Another Player Sent Off

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta watches from the touchline during the English Premier League match between Arsenal FC and West Ham United, in London, Britain, 22 February 2025. (EPA)
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta watches from the touchline during the English Premier League match between Arsenal FC and West Ham United, in London, Britain, 22 February 2025. (EPA)

Arsenal's Premier League title challenge was dented by an unexpected 1-0 home loss to West Ham on Saturday that featured a fifth red card of the season for Mikel Arteta's team.

Second-place Arsenal squandered a chance to trim the gap to Liverpool to five points as Jarrod Bowen's first-half header secured a win for West Ham, which arrived at Emirates Stadium with just one victory in its last eight games.

There was worse to come for Arsenal, with left back Myles Lewis-Skelly handed a red card following a video review for his foul as the last man. The team's disciplinary record under Arteta has come under scrutiny this season — and might yet cost the Gunners the title, along with key injuries to their attack.

With the likes of Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus out injured, Arsenal had only two shots on target against West Ham.

It leaves Liverpool with an eight-point cushion, having played the same number of games as Arsenal, and that advantage could grow when the leaders play Manchester City away on Sunday.

United rallies for draw at Everton

Manchester United came from two goals down before benefiting from a last-gasp video-review call to draw 2-2 at Everton.

Uruguay midfielder Manuel Ugarte grabbed the 80th-minute equalizer for United with his first goal at club level in four years, eight minutes after Bruno Fernandes started the visitors’ fightback at Goodison Park by curling in a free kick.

United had been on course to slip to a third straight loss — and ninth defeat in 15 league matches since Ruben Amorim took charge in November — after first-half goals by Beto and Abdoulaye Doucoure for resurgent Everton.

There was a late scare for United when Everton was awarded a penalty for what appeared to be a foul by Harry Maguire on Ashley Young, who fell to the ground dramatically under pressure from Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt in the third minute of stoppage time.

Following a video review, on-field referee Andrew Madley was advised to view the incident again on the pitchside monitor and he changed his initial decision.

“I think it was a soft penalty, it was clear,” Amorim said.

Champions League-chasing Bournemouth slip up

Fifth-place Bournemouth lost 1-0 at home to Wolverhampton to damage its bid for a finish in the Champions League qualification positions.

Bournemouth defender Illya Zabarnyi's 31st-minute red card was quickly followed by the winning goal by Matheus Cunha for Wolves.

Tottenham won 4-1 at Ipswich to further ease the pressure on manager Ange Postecoglou, last-place Southampton lost 4-0 at home to Brighton, and Crystal Palace won 2-0 at Fulham.



Brown Rejects ‘Two-Horse Race’ Assessment, Expects Max Move

Zak Brown. (Getty Images)
Zak Brown. (Getty Images)
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Brown Rejects ‘Two-Horse Race’ Assessment, Expects Max Move

Zak Brown. (Getty Images)
Zak Brown. (Getty Images)

McLaren boss Zak Brown dismissed suggestions the Formula One title was a two-horse race between his drivers and said Red Bull's Max Verstappen remained a contender for a fifth championship in a row and was also likely to join Mercedes.

McLaren's Oscar Piastri leads teammate Lando Norris by 15 points, with Verstappen now 61 points behind the Australian after 11 of 24 races.

Red Bull boss Christian Horner said in Austria at the weekend, after Verstappen was shunted out on the opening lap, that the battle was effectively over before the mid-point of the season.

"It looks very much like a two-horse race. They (McLaren) have got a cushion to the rest of the field," Horner told reporters.

But Brown told Reuters at an event for McLaren fans in London's Trafalgar Square that it was far too early to say that.

"I think it's a four maybe even a five (horse race)," said the American.

"We're in a great position, but we know how quickly things can change in Formula One. Max isn't that far behind and he's that awesome, and then George (Russell) isn't far behind him and you can definitely see Mercedes is getting tougher and tougher and are not far away.

"And nor is Ferrari so I think (Charles) Leclerc, Max and George, it's way too early to not have them in the race.

"Maybe ask me that question in another five races and I'll answer it differently. But right now, I see those five all in contention for the championship."

Verstappen has been linked repeatedly with Mercedes, who have acknowledged talks with the Dutch driver about a future switch, with 2027 looking more likely.

Brown has said before that he expected Verstappen to join Mercedes eventually and he stood by that.

"There's a lot of noise. I'm a believer of where there's smoke there's fire. No one's kind of denying anything, no one's making firm 'I'm gonna be in this car next year'," he explained.

"So in my experience and reading the tea leaves I feel like something's going on, maybe something's even already done ... it's what makes Formula One fun -- there's always some storyline for everyone to follow, so I think I stand by my prediction."