LONDON: Inspired by Bukayo Saka, Arsenal scored five goals in a wild first half at West Ham before settling for a 5-2 win that lifted the team into second place in the English Premier League in its bid to chase down Liverpool.
Saka was one of five different scorers for Arsenal at the Olympic Stadium on Saturday and also had a hand in three goals, by Gabriel, Leandro Trossard and Martin Odegaard. Kai Havertz netted the other goal for Arsenal in its biggest league victory this season.
Since returning from the international break, Arsenal has beaten Nottingham Forest 3-0 in the Premier League, Sporting Lisbon 5-1 in the Champions League and put another five goals past West Ham. The prolific run has coincided with the return to fitness of Odegaard, Arsenal’s playmaker and captain who missed two months with an ankle injury.
Arsenal trimmed the gap to Liverpool to six points ahead of the leader’s home match against beleaguered Manchester City on Sunday. Arsenal has been beaten to the title by City in each of the last two seasons but might be wanting Pep Guardiola ‘s team to pull off a victory at Anfield.
Saka, especially, is benefitting from Odegaard’s presence. The England winger already has 10 assists for the campaign — having played 12 of Arsenal’s 13 games — along with five goals.
All of the goals in the match were in the first half. It’s just the fourth time since the Premier League began in 1992 that seven goals were scored in a game before halftime.
Van Nistelrooy’s task
A day after being hired as Leicester manager, Ruud van Nistelrooy witnessed at first hand the scale of his task to keep the team in the Premier League.
Leicester was beaten at Brentford 4-1 on Saturday, with Van Nistelrooy sitting in the stands rather than in the dugout. He officially takes over as coach on Sunday after arriving as the replacement for the fired Steve Cooper.
Kevin Schade scored a hat trick and Yoane Wissa also netted for Brentford, which had to come from behind after Facunda Buonanotte’s 21st-minute opener.
Van Nistelrooy, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid striker, will begin his first full-time managerial role in English soccer with Leicester in 16th place in the 20-team league and just one point above the relegation zone.
“We just had the messages last night (from Van Nistelrooy) when the appointment was made,” said Leicester first-team coach Ben Dawson, who took charge of the team against Brentford. “He wished everyone good luck and the plan is to catch up tomorrow at the training ground.”
Penalty record
Some history was made when Justin Kluivert converted a trio of penalties — in the third, 18th and 74th minutes — for Bournemouth in its 4-2 win at Wolverhampton. That had never been achieved before in a league game.
Kluivert said it was “amazing” to go into the history books but he was almost denied the opportunity.
“I was not completely sure I should allow him to take the third one,” Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola said. “It is difficult I suppose, every time you shoot the first one, you give information to the keeper.”
Evanilson won each of the three penalties converted by Kluivert — and that was also a first in the Premier League.
Double blow
Newcastle lost Sweden striker Alexander Isak to a hip injury midway through the first half and then its lead in the fourth minute of stoppage time in a 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace.
Daniel Munoz scored the late equalizer to lift Palace out of the bottom three on goal difference.
“It’s an absolutely devastating blow for us,” Newcastle manager Eddie Howe said of giving up the late goal.
On Isak, Howe added: “It was a contact injury and not a muscle pull, which is good news for us. We hope he will recover quickly.”
Chris Wood smashed a penalty down the middle for his eighth goal of the season to earn Nottingham Forest a 1-0 win at home to Ipswich.

MADRID: Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said Saturday superstar striker Kylian Mbappe’s struggles this season are due to his team’s overall lack of consistency.
The French forward missed a penalty as Spanish and European champions Real Madrid lost on Wednesday in the Champions League against Liverpool, their third defeat in five matches in the competition.
Mbappe, who joined in the summer at the end of his Paris Saint-Germain contract, was criticized for his performance and has netted just two goals in his last nine games for Madrid.
“Mbappe’s problem is the problem that we all have. The idea is to try to give our best version, not just of him but myself, other players,” Ancelotti told a news conference ahead of Sunday’s La Liga clash against Getafe.
“It’s not a problem about one player, the problem that we have is one of a team that has not been capable of being consistent. It’s not a problem about one player.
“We have to try and improve that, do everything we can... among other things (Mbappe) is new here and adapting, among other things he’s scored eight goals and has participated in attack, giving assists.
“Yes he can play better, but we can all do better and we will try to.”
Mbappe was not included in the last two France squad lists and has also had off-field issues to deal with during his first months at the Santiago Bernabeu.
“He is absolutely not sunken, he knows he has to improve like we all do... he’s being scrutinized after the Liverpool game because he missed a penalty, like many of my players have,” continued Ancelotti.
The coach said the Liverpool defeat was partly due to losing players through injury, including Vinicius Junior, Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao among others, but that Brazilian winger Rodrygo was fit to face Getafe.
Madrid, second, trail La Liga leaders Barcelona by four points, albeit having played one fewer match.
“I am like Mbappe, I am trying to give my best version,” said Ancelotti.
“Results say that I have not been capable of doing that. I’m not happy... but I’m convinced we will fix it, like we always fix it.”