Arsenal ran out 5-1 winners over West Ham United this evening following an action-packed Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium.
The visitors took the lead through Jack Collison before Lukas Podolski fired Arsenal straight back level with a fine strike.
The Gunners then scored four times in 12 minutes at the start of the second half to race into an unassailable lead, Olivier Giroud (2), Santi Cazorla and Theo Walcott getting the goals.
There was a low point in the match as well, however, as West Ham's Daniel Potts needed lengthy treatment on the field before being stretched off in an oxygen mask and neck brace.
Here, Sports Mole analyses a remarkable London derby.
Match statistics:
Arsenal:
Shots 23
On target 17
Possession 69%
Corners 13
Fouls 9
West Ham:
Shots 7
On target 5
Possession 31%
Corners 5
Fouls 10
Was the result fair?
Yes. Arsenal controlled large parts of the match and, apart from a few shaky moments in the first half, never looked in danger of losing this one. They deserved to be ahead at half time but their 12-minute salvo at the start of the second period killed the game off and handed them a deserved win.
Arsenal's performance
At times, scintillating. The first part of the second half saw the Gunners at their free-flowing best, and any Arsene Wenger team would have been happy with that spell. Other than that they were strong throughout, being the better team in both halves and were unfortunate to go into the break all square.
West Ham's performance
In the first half it looked like they were shaping up for a classic away performance. They held an Arsenal side who had enjoyed the lion's share of possession and even managed to nick a goal. What's more, they looked capable of scoring another. However, the four goals they conceded in 12 minutes at the start of the second half killed their chances, and from then on they never threatened.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Lukas Podolski: The German was directly involved in four of Arsenal's five goals, so was an easy choice for this award. He assisted three and scored one of his own - the equaliser - and looked dangerous throughout. By far his best performance in an Arsenal shirt yet.
Biggest gaffe
This has to go to Bacary Sagna's attempted clearance from a West Ham cross. He headed it without looking straight at a West Ham player, allowing it to deflect through to Carlton Cole who went on to see his shot cleared off the line. That would have made it 2-1, and we could've had a completely different game on our hands.
Referee performance
Andre Marriner had a solid game. There were a couple of challenges early on that warranted yellow cards, but Marriner looked on them with a lenient eye given the early stage of the game. Other than that, it wasn't really a tough match to referee.
What next?
Arsenal: Next up is the FA Cup fourth round as Arsenal face Brighton & Hove Albion before a tough Premier League match against Liverpool a week later.
West Ham: West Ham have already been knocked out of the cup, so their next match comes a week today as they take on Fulham.
Barney Corkhill
