Alexis Sanchez inspired Arsenal to a 5-1 win away at West Ham as he scored a hat trick and also claimed an assist for Mesut Ozil in a masterful display at London Stadium.
Sanchez and Ozil missed the midweek defeat to Southampton in the EFL Cup, Arsenal's first loss since the opening weekend, but combined to excellent effort when the former set up the latter for the opening goal on 24 minutes, exploiting an awful error from Angelo Ogbonna.
Sanchez then proceeded to destroy West Ham in the last 18 minutes. His first came when he took the ball away from two defenders and thumped an unstoppable effort past Darren Randolph from a tight angle; the second arrived on 80 minutes with an opportunistic finish; and the hat trick was complete in the closing stages when he dumped Randolph on his bum with a dummy before chipping in.
Andy Carroll had headed home from close range after Dimitri Payet's brilliant free-kick struck the bar in a frantic end to the game but Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain curled home a well-taken fourth. The win ensures Arsenal remain within three points of leaders Chelsea after their impressive win at Manchester City.
Positives
The expansive excellence of Sanchez is a huge asset for Arsenal and after scoring his 11th, 12th and 13th goals of the season and collecting his sixth assist, he has a strong claim to being the best player in England at the moment. Granit Xhaka's creative influence would also have pleased his manager in the wake of the news that Santi Cazorla needs surgery and will be out for at least three months.
Negatives
Not many, although Carroll's inevitable goal ruined what would have been a welcome clean sheet. Gabriel Paulista suffered a couple of knocks during the match, threatening the loss of another right-back after he filled in for the missing Mathieu Debuchy and Hector Bellerin. But this was mostly a fine evening's work.
Manager rating out of 10
9 -- It's not so often that you meet such little resistance in a London derby but Wenger picked the right team and was rewarded with a dominant performance. Entrusting creative duties to Xhaka appears to be paying off but most of all this was another wonderful exhibition of why his decision to move Sanchez central at the start of the season was such a clever move.
Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK Petr Cech, 6 -- West Ham were largely appalling in the first half and Cech was equal to the only attempt on goal, pawing a shot from Manuel Lanzini wide. He looked a bit lost when Carroll reacted quickest to head in the rebound of Payet's free kick which had cracked off the bar.
DF Gabriel Paulista, 6 -- Was installed at right-back as a result of last weekend's injury to Debuchy and coped well with the threat of Payet. He suffered a knee injury in an aerial challenge just before the break and then opened up a cut to the back of his head in the second half but soldiered on.
DF Shkodran Mustafi, 6 -- Continues to look the part at the back and also rose well from a cross after 17 minutes to head down for Laurent Koscielny, who was inches away from scoring. Booked in the second half but this was assured enough from the German.
DF Laurent Koscielny, 7 -- Lone striker Ashley Fletcher gave the captain a few problems early on but Koscielny eventually got control of him. The centre-back made a hugely important interception to prevent a goal in the second half.
DF Nacho Monreal, 7 -- In the opening 15 minutes or so he was an unlikely attacking outlet as he kept finding space in advanced positions and fired in a succession of dangerous crosses which just missed their targets. Always looked keen to get forward.
MF Francis Coquelin, 7 -- His tenacity resulted in the opening goal as he closed down Ogbonna and blocked his woeful attempt at a pass, with the ball rebounding to Sanchez. Earned a slightly silly booking but it did not cost him. A typically committed performance.
MF Granit Xhaka, 8 -- This was another audition for Xhaka in the "Cazorla role" and he looks to be growing into it with some ambitious and incisive passing from deep, misplacing just one pass before the break. He was key to threading Arsenal's play together.
MF Theo Walcott, 5 -- Was game enough with his running but went a bit under the radar until heading just over from an Ozil free kick just after the restart and then producing a weak effort when put through by Sanchez. Didn't have his most influential 90 minutes and was the first sacrifice when being replaced by Ramsey.
No. 10 Mesut Ozil, 8 -- Added some real class after missing the EFL Cup defeat in midweek and opened the scoring on 24 minutes, tapping in from Sanchez's unselfish pass. He could have had another but for a smart save from Randolph on 69 minutes. A class act.
MF Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, 8 -- As Arsenal swamped West Ham in the first half, his contribution stood out for being well below that of his teammates as passes went astray and wrong decisions were made. He improved greatly in the second half though, curling home a stunning fourth and setting up Sanchez for the fifth, as well as having a series of other efforts saved.
FW Alexis Sanchez, 10 -- One of the best centre-forward performances by an Arsenal player in years. He challenged West Ham with his movement and penetrative running, put the goal on for Ozil with style when nicking the ball away from Winston Reid and then created the second all by himself by losing two markers and rifling a low shot into the far corner. His second was that of a striker bursting with confidence as he went straight for the corner and the third was sublime, a feint selling Randolph and a Messi-esque dink doing the rest. Magnificent.
Substitutes
Aaron Ramsey (on for Walcott, 66), 7 -- Looked bright straight away when his firm effort from Monreal's cut-back was repelled by Randolph and was influential as Arsenal filled their boots. Could have scored.
Mohamed Elneny (on for Coquelin, 87), N/A -- Entered too late to have an impact.
Alex Iwobi (on for Ozil, 88), N/A -- Ditto.