By Martyn Herman
LONDON (Reuters) – Arsenal dropped two more points in their quest for the Premier League title in a 2-2 draw at West Ham United as for the second week in a row they threw away a two-goal advantage.
The leaders were two ahead and cruising towards restoring their six-point cushion over Manchester City with Gabriel Jesus tapping home in the seventh minute and Martin Odegaard doubling Arsenal’s lead with a volley three minutes later.
But everything changed as they conceded a sloppy penalty that Said Benrahma tucked away in the 33rd minute.
West Ham, needing points themselves to stay away from the relegation zone, were transformed although Bukayo Saka had the chance to restore Arsenal’s two-goal lead early in the second half only to blaze a penalty wide.
That miss looked even more costly moments later when Jarrod Bowen volleyed in West Ham’s equaliser in the 54th minute.
Just as at Anfield last week when Mikel Arteta’s team led 2-0 but ended up hanging on desperately for a 2-2 draw with Liverpool, there was a nervousness about Arsenal’s play as the pressure of winning a first title since 2004 intensifies.
They have 74 points from 31 games with reigning champions Manchester City on 70 having played a game less.
The top two meet at The Etihad Stadium on April 26.
West Ham have 31 points from 30 games, four ahead of the relegation places.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
