Arsenal missed the chance to close the gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool as West Ham ended a four-match winless run with a stunning 1-0 victory at Emirates Stadium.

Jarrod Bowen got the winner against a Gunners side who later had Myles Lewis-Skelly sent off.

Victory would have moved Arsenal to within five points of Arne Slot’s team, who visit champions Manchester City today, but they struggled badly against a Hammers side who defended magnificently and created the better openings over the 90 minutes.

Bowen started and finished the move that led to the winner late in the first half, collecting a loose ball on the edge of his own box and feeding Aaron Wan-Bissaka before stooping low to nod the full-back’s cross into the net for his 50th Premier League goal.

It was the first time Arsenal had trailed in a home Premier league game at half-time this season, but they showed no discernible improvement after the interval – despite pinning West Ham back for much of the second period.

Leandro Trossard had a low shot saved by the feet of Alphonse Areola, but the Gunners’ hopes of a route back into the contest were dealt a major blow when Lewis-Skelly was sent off for a professional foul on Mohammed Kudus near the halfway line.

Elsewhere, new signings Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford combined twice as Aston Villa came from behind to beat Chelsea 2-1, grabbing a valuable three points in their push for European qualification.

An excellent piece of play out wide from Pedro Neto fashioned a ninth-minute opener for Chelsea, with the winger skipping past Ian Maatsen before drilling a low delivery across the face of goal which only required a slight prod from Enzo Fernandez to turn it past Emiliano Martinez.

But Chelsea did not seize control and half-time introduction Rashford – who was initially ruled offside before the video assistant referee system overturned the decision – helped Aston Villa to level when he tapped a Matty Cash delivery across the six-yard box for Asensio to bundle home.

After once again being fed by fellow mid-season recruit Rashford, Asensio then netted a 90th-minute winner thanks to a huge mistake from Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen, who allowed a first-time strike to slide underneath him.

In another game on Saturday, Manchester United staged a late comeback before being saved by VAR as they avoided plunging deeper into crisis with a dramatic 2-2 draw at Everton.

Everton’s resurgence under returning manager David Moyes – once of United – was poised to continue as the hosts exerted total domination in the first 45 minutes to establish a deserved two-goal lead at Goodison Park.