Arsenal thrashed West Ham: how Højlund fails to score.

According to The Sun: BUKAYO SAKA returned to his usual form, and Arsenal easily defeated West Ham.

In recent months, Arsenal has looked unbeatable at home and again controlled the game.

Goals scored before and after the break by Declan Rice and Saka ensured victory.

Rice scored after Saka's shot was saved, and Saka converted a penalty when Jurrien Timber was fouled.

However, again the successful actions of Viktor Højlund did not yield results, and the Swede had little opportunity to showcase himself.

Here are the player ratings from Sun Sport prepared by Jordan Davis.

DAVID RAYA – 6/10

He could have stayed home and not conceded. No serious saves were made.

JURRIEN TIMBER – 7

Needs to urgently extend his contract. A rare player who performs well in all aspects of the game and keeps his composure.

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Scored a penalty thanks to a wonderful breakthrough into the box, winning a foul.

WILLIAM SALIBA – 7

Didn't get involved much. A few passes and interceptions. A calm match. Such matches are rare for a central defender in the Premier League.

GABRIEL – 7

The same as for Saliba. A couple of set pieces and that’s it. West Ham did everything possible to throw him off his game.

RICARDO CALAFIORI – 7

Made quality sliding tackles and worked hard. Now really cemented himself in the left-back position.

DECLAN RICE – 9

Put in a brilliant performance against his former club. Was extremely active, creating many problems for West Ham.

His goal confirms this: he scored from close range.

EBERECHI EZE – 8

Found many promising breakthroughs between West Ham's midfielders and defenders but failed to score.

Looks confident at Arsenal and provides Arteta with an alternative, especially against teams that defend.

MARTIN ØDEGAARD – 6

Just when it seemed he was hitting form, he got injured again. A true tragedy for the Norwegian.

LEANDRO TROSSARD – 6

Not as effective as before. His crosses were inaccurate, and Arteta reminded him of this in the second half.

BUKAYO SAKA – 8

Active, forcing defenders to struggle seriously with his quick runs and dribbling.

Clearly eager to return to regular goals, often drifting into the center.

Finally got a chance from the spot, which Højlund also claimed.

VIKTOR HØJLUND – 6

The more he tries, the less he seems like a goal scorer. He looks tense, and this negatively affects his game.

At the same time, he performs other roles very well, but fans may grow tired of him if he doesn't start scoring.

Needs to learn to deal with aggressive defenders. West Ham did well to mark him, and he couldn't find much space.

Before the penalty, he communicated with Saka, but the Englishman always intended to take the shot himself.

SUBSTITUTES:

MARTIN ZUBIMENDI (ØDEGAARD, 30) – 8

Usually difficult to come on in the first half, but Zubimendi really managed. After coming on, he controlled the game.

All promising attacks go through him, so it’s hard to leave him on the bench.

MILES LEWIS-SKELLY (CALAFIORI, 74) – 6

Thomas Tuchel needs to see more from him if he wants to keep his place in the England squad. But 16 minutes on the bench in an uninteresting match is not what he hoped for.

ITHAN NWANERI (TROSSARD, 74) – 6

A player who so far cannot stand out among the massive talent on the team, although he needs more time on the pitch to find his game. He showcased bright moments.

MIKEL MERINO (RICE, 79) – 6

One header wide of the goal after a set piece. Couldn't outdo his achievements at St James' Park.

GABRIEL MARTINS – N/A

Probably unhappy that he again remained on the bench but couldn’t convert that aggression into noticeable play, receiving only 11 minutes to make an impression.

Arsenal's victory over West Ham was an important step towards claiming leadership positions in the league. The team demonstrated excellent collective actions and showed that with the improving form of their leaders like Saka and Rice, there are every chance of success in upcoming matches. Positive changes undoubtedly instill hope in the fans for further victories and vibrant play from their favorites.