EPL: West Ham Equalize Arsenal To Keep Title Race Alive

Arsenal's Premier League title march suffered a major blow on Sunday as they drew 2-2 with West Ham United, throwing away a two-goal advantage for the second consecutive week.

Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard had given Arsenal a comfortable lead with early goals in the seventh and tenth minutes respectively, but a sloppy penalty conceded by Arsenal allowed Said Benrahma to pull one back for West Ham in the 33rd minute.

West Ham, who were in desperate need of points to avoid relegation, came alive after the goal and Arsenal's lead slipped further when Bukayo Saka missed a penalty early in the second half. This miss proved costly as Jarrod Bowen volleyed in an equalizer for West Ham in the 54th minute.

The draw leaves Arsenal with 74 points from 31 games, just four points ahead of reigning champions Manchester City who have a game in hand and sit on 70 points.

Arsenal's nervy performances in recent weeks, squandering leads and dropping points, have raised concerns among fans and pundits alike as they seek their first Premier League title since 2004.

The pressure will be even greater as they face off against Manchester City at The Etihad Stadium on April 26 in a crucial title showdown. Meanwhile, West Ham's hard-fought draw gives them a much-needed boost in their battle against relegation, as they now sit four points clear of the relegation places with 31 points from 30 games.