Rice Returns To Haunt West Ham As Arsenal Go Top; Manchester United Secure Dominant Win

Last Updated:October 04, 2025, 23:06 IST

Declan Rice scored against West Ham as Arsenal topped the Premier League. Manchester United beat Sunderland 2-0, easing pressure on Ruben Amorim.

Arteta’s 300th match marked by a statement win; Amorim and Manchester United breathe easier after Sunderland victory (AP)

Declan Rice came back to torment his former club West Ham United as Arsenal climbed to the top of the Premier League table on Saturday, while Manchester United eased the pressure on manager Ruben Amorim with a much-needed 2-0 victory over Sunderland.

In Mikel Arteta’s 300th match in charge, Arsenal looked every bit the title contenders they aspire to be, outclassing a struggling West Ham side 2-0 at the Emirates. The win strengthened their bid for a first league title in 22 years — but it came with a price.

Arsenal’s depth shines despite injuries

Club captain Martin Ødegaard was forced off injured before half-time — his third such setback of the season — a concern for a side that has already dealt with several key absences this campaign.

Yet Arsenal’s depth once again came to the rescue.

“We dominated and fully deserved to win this," said Arteta. “To go top of the table after some big fixtures over the last week and some injuries… we were able to respond."

Rice, who famously left West Ham for a club-record £105 million ($141 million) in 2023, sealed the result in poetic fashion. The England international smashed home a rebound after Alphonse Areola had pushed out Eberechi Eze’s powerful drive, refusing to celebrate out of respect for his old club.

Moments later, Bukayo Saka, making his 200th Arsenal appearance, coolly converted from the penalty spot after Jurrien Timber was tripped by El Hadji Malick Diouf, putting the game beyond doubt.

The victory pushed Arsenal one point ahead of Liverpool, who were set to face Chelsea later in the day.

For West Ham, though, the defeat deepened their troubles — still stuck in the relegation zone and struggling for form under mounting pressure.

Breathing Space for Amorim

Over at Old Trafford, Ruben Amorim finally found some relief.

The Manchester United manager, under growing scrutiny after collecting just 34 points from his previous 33 Premier League matches, oversaw one of his most complete performances in weeks as his side dispatched Sunderland 2-0.

Before kick-off, the stadium observed a moment of silence in memory of the victims of a terror attack on a Manchester synagogue earlier in the week — a poignant reminder of unity beyond football.

A bold selection pays off

Amorim’s decision to rotate his squad was vindicated. Debutant Senne Lammens kept a clean sheet, while Mason Mount — preferred to Matheus Cunha — justified his selection with an early opener, calmly finishing from Bryan Mbeumo’s low cross just eight minutes in.

Captain Bruno Fernandes nearly doubled the lead when his effort clipped the crossbar, before Benjamin Šeško made it 2-0 with a striker’s instinct, pouncing on a long throw to score his first Old Trafford goal since his £74 million move from RB Leipzig.

Sunderland briefly thought they had earned a lifeline when they were awarded a penalty just before the break, but VAR intervened to overturn the decision, ruling there was minimal contact on Trai Hume.

“We were a competitive and adult team today," said Amorim afterwards. “We need to do this kind of performance away as well — it’s our responsibility to play like this."

The Title Race Heats Up

Liverpool could reclaim top spot later if they beat Chelsea — a fixture that pits two teams desperate to rediscover form.

The defending champions have lost back-to-back matches to Crystal Palace and Galatasaray, while Chelsea, fresh from their Club World Cup triumph, are also in need of momentum after a three-game winless run in the league.

(with AFP inputs)

Siddarth Sriram

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...Read More

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...

Read More

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