After suffering a disappointing defeat at home, Arsenal suffered a disappointing 2-0 defeat to West Ham United in their all-time Premier League record. The defeat left Liverpool two points clear at the top of the table. Arsenal are unbeaten in their first nine home games of the season but have failed to extend their winning streak.
West Ham's Thomas Susek and former Arsenal defender Dinos Mavropanos scored the winning goals for the visitors. Arsenal had plenty of chances, having 77 touches in the box at West Ham but failing to find the back of the net. That makes Arsenal the Premier League team that has touched the ball inside the box in a single game since 2008-09 without scoring a goal.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has acknowledged that West Ham are better both offensively and defensively and stressed the need to turn chances into goals. Despite the controversy over West Ham's opening goal, Arsenal believed the ball went out of bounds, but Arteta avoided further comment. Arsenal now have one last chance to end the year on a positive note in the London derby on Chinese New Year's Eve, where they will face Fulham.