Wilshere’s smoking-hot shot rescues point for Gunners
Midfielder's first Premier League goal in nearly three years puts Arsenal back on top ahead of Liverpool on goals scored
Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere responded to criticism over a photograph of him smoking by scoring the equaliser that rescued a 1-1 draw for the Premier League leaders at West Bromwich Albion on Sunday, while rivals Tottenham Hotspur suffered a shock 3-0 thumping by West Ham United.
Chelsea relied on two goals in two minutes by substitutes Eden Hazard and Willian late in their match at Norwich City to give them a 3-1 win that lifted them to third in the league with 14 points from seven games, two behind Arsenal and Liverpool.
Surprise packages Southampton won again to go fourth, beating Swansea City 2-0 at home, while the day’s big upset was at White Hart Lane.
Spurs, who had conceded only twice in the league, leaked three in 13 second-half minutes including an individual effort by Ravel Morrison that West Ham manager Sam Allardyce dubbed “genius”.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who promised to have words with the player on Friday after saying he had damaged his reputation because of a newspaper picture of him with a cigarette in his mouth, was pleased with the England international’s strike.
Wilshere had endured a poor first half as he repeatedly gave away the ball and spent a lot of time picking himself up off the ground, but he made up for it when his deflected 63rd-minute strike cancelled out Claudio Yacob’s first-half headed opener.