West Ham shock Arsenal in 2-0 upset win at the Emirates
Hammers pounce on howlers by goalkeeper Petr Cech to shatter Arsene Wenger’s hopes of a good start to the new Premier League season for the Gunners
West Ham United capitalised on two mistakes from Arsenal’s new goalkeeper Petr Cech to claim a surprise 2-0 victory at the Emirates and leave the Gunners deflated on Sunday.
Arsenal, full of opening-weekend optimism, knew the importance of a good start to the English Premier League season after five draws and a defeat in the first eight games of the last campaign left them too far behind eventual champions Chelsea.
It is a great start for us. Not only for the three points but points against a team that are the title contenders
The defeat of Chelsea in the season-opening Community Shield fuelled hopes that Arsene Wenger’s side could improve on the third place they achieved last season but goals from Cheikhou Kouyate and Mauro Zarate earned West Ham victory in Slaven Bilic’s first league game in charge.
Arsenal, for whom new keeper Cech was culpable for both goals, were booed off at the final whistle.
In the other early kick-off clash, Steve McClaren’s reign in charge of Newcastle United began with a 2-2 home draw against Southampton.
In a late game, Liverpool avenged a 6-1 loss to Stoke City on the final day of last season with a 1-0 win – Philippe Coutinho scoring a stunner – in a return to the Britannia Stadium.
Former Chelsea keeper Cech was signed during the close season to shore Arsenal up defensively but the experienced Czech had a day to forget in the north London sunshine.
West Ham, who gave a Premier League debut to 16-year-old Reece Oxford, were deserved winners.
“We are all very pleased and it is a great start for us,” said former West Ham player Bilic, who took over from Sam Allardyce. “Not only for the three points but points against a team that are the title contenders.
“If you add to that a London derby, it makes it an even bigger win. This is very special.”
Wenger said: “We were not convincing offensively or defensively,” describing the result as an “accident”.
“We know fitness wise, West Ham were ahead of us.
“They had already played competitive games [in the Europa League]. You never get the same intensity.
“We have been hurt mentally and it is a good opportunity to respond.”
But West Ham, knocked out of the Europa League in the third qualifying round by Romanian side Astra Giurgiu last Thursday, snatched the lead in the 43rd minute when Kouyate made the most of goalkeeper Cech’s error of judgment.
Arsenal lacked urgency after the break and Oxlade-Chamberlain’s casual defending was punished by Zarate who stole possession and fired a shot past the flat-footed Cech.
Intense late pressure was repelled by West Ham’s defence.
As Newcastle boss McClaren stepped foot in a dugout as a Premier League manager for the first time since 2006, his opposite number Ronald Koeman was nowhere to be seen after undergoing an operation for a ruptured Achilles.
The Saints seemed unaffected by their manager’s absence and took the lead in the 24th minute when Italian striker Graziano Pelle rose highest to plant a header past Tim Krul but Newcastle equalised just before half-time through Papiss Cisse.
New signing Georginio Wijnaldum headed in Gabriel Obertan’s perfectly weighted cross to swing the advantage in Newcastle’s favour but Shane Long levelled the score in the 79th minute with another headed goal.
