Arsenal downs West Bromwich, Everton over West Ham
Sports Desk, May 9 (EFE).- Arsenal consoled itself over its elimination from Europa League competition by Villarreal by downing West Bromwich Albion 3-1 on Sunday.
With Spain’s Dani Ceballos once again in the London squad’s starting 11 and Norway’s Martin Odegaars as a substitute, Mikel Arteta’s team notched its second consecutive win, thus moving ahead several spots in the push for Europe.
The triumph at Emirates Stadium fell apart for West Bromwich late in the first half. At the half-hour mark, Emile Smith Rowe carved out a space inside the area after getting the ball from Bukayo Saka, knocking it into the net with a prodigious blast.
Five minutes later, though, a shot from outside the area by Nicolas Pepe put Arsenal on the board for the second time – a tally that proved to be decisive.
After the break, Matheus Pereira cut Arsenal’s lead but Willian put the icing on the cake in the 90th minute for the 3-1.
With the loss, West Bromwich finds that its relegation is now confirmed.
And in other Premier League action, Everton blanked West Ham on the road in London, thus endangering the losers’ European berth, threatened as they are by Liverpool with one match still to go, and by Tottenham as well as by Everton themselves.
The London squad has now suffered three defeats in their last four matches, and they were unable to get level with their rivals on Sunday after Dominic Calvert-Lewin sent Everton ahead in the 23rd minute with an assist by Ben Godfrey.
West Ham tried to respond but could not get by Jordan Pickford, who was steady throughout the match.
The defeat puts David Moyes squad in fifth place, far from Champions League territory, just one point ahead of Liverpool, two above Tottenham and three over Everton, who – with the win – sees its European chances resurrected.
