Mikel Arteta’s Premier League title challenge suffered a massive blow as the 10-man Arsenal were beaten 1-0 at home by lowly West Ham on Saturday.
Jarrod Bowen headed in the only goal just before half-time and an injury-hit Arsenal had no reply after Myles Lewis-Skelly was sent off on 73 minutes.
The defeat leaves second-placed Arsenal still eight points adrift of leaders Liverpool.
With leaders Liverpool not in action until Sunday’s trip to Manchester City, Arsenal had a chance to close the gap in the title race with victory at the Emirates Stadium.
But Mikel Arteta’s side stumbled to a first loss in 16 league games as Jarrod Bowen netted West Ham’s first-half winner before the Gunners had Myles Lewis-Skelly sent off after the interval.
Second-placed Arsenal, whose last top-flight defeat came at Newcastle in November, are eight points behind Liverpool, who would move a massive 11 points clear if they beat spluttering City.
After coming off the bench to score twice in the closing stages of last weekend’s win at Leicester, Spain midfielder Mikel Merino started for injury-hit Arsenal as a makeshift striker.
Arsenal injuries
However, Arsenal’s lack of cutting edge in the absence of Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka was exposed when Jarrod Bowen headed in Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s pin-point cross in the 44th minute.
There was more misery for Arsenal in the 73rd minute when Lewis-Skelly brought down Mohammed Kudus as the West Ham forward surged away on the halfway line.
Lewis-Skelly was initially shown a yellow card but the defender’s punishment was increased to a red after referee Craig Pawson consulted the pitchside monitor.
Chelsea suffer defeat at the hands of Aston Villa
Marco Asensio’s first goals for Aston Villa clinched a dramatic 2-1 win against spluttering Chelsea after a costly blunder from Blues goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen on Saturday.
Enzo Fernandez’s quick-fire opener put Chelsea ahead at Villa Park in a battle between top four hopefuls chasing qualification for next season’s Champions League.
But Asensio, who signed on loan from Paris Saint-Germain earlier in February, netted after the interval when his goal was initially disallowed for offside before being given by VAR.
The former Real Madrid forward followed his equaliser with Villa’s last-gasp winner as his shot squirmed past Jorgensen’s woeful attempted save.
It was the latest goalkeeping calamity for Chelsea this season after Jorgensen replaced the even more error-prone Robert Sanchez.
Chelsea have been beaten four times in their last five games in all competitions, leaving them one point adrift of the top four in sixth place.
Bemoaning Jorgensen’s error, coach Enzo Maresca said: “The keeper position is very difficult. When you make a mistake is clear for everyone.
Seventh-placed Villa, who held leaders Liverpool to a hard-fought 2-2 draw in midweek, are one point behind Chelsea thanks to a result that rekindled their own top-four ambitions.
