Arsenal missed the chance to close the gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool as West Ham ended a four-match winless run with a stunning victory at Emirates Stadium.

Jarrod Bowen got the winner against a Gunners side who later had Myles Lewis-Skelly sent off.

Victory would have moved Arsenal to within five points of Arne Slot's team, who visit champions Manchester City on Sunday, but they struggled badly against a Hammers side who defended magnificently and created the better openings over the 90 minutes.

Bowen started and finished the move that led to the winner late in the first half, collecting a loose ball on the edge of his own box and feeding Aaron Wan-Bissaka before stooping low to nod the full-back's cross into the net for his 50th Premier League goal.

It was the first time Arsenal had trailed in a home Premier league game at half-time this season, but they showed no discernible improvement after the interval - despite pinning West Ham back for much of the second period.

Leandro Trossard had a low shot saved by the feet of Alphonse Areola, but the Gunners' hopes of a route back into the contest were dealt a major blow when Lewis-Skelly was sent off for a professional foul on Mohammed Kudus near the halfway line.

Referee Craig Pawson initially cautioned the 18-year-old for dragging Kudus to the floor, but the video assistant referee (VAR) ruled that Lewis-Skelly had denied the Ghanaian a clear goalscoring opportunity and the yellow card was upgraded to a red.

West Ham held on comfortably in the end to move 13 points clear of the bottom three and level with Manchester United in 15th - although they stay 16th because of their inferior goal difference.

Liverpool now have the opportunity to move 11 points clear of the Gunners at Etihad Stadium on Sunday - although Slot's team will have played a game more than their closest challengers at the end of the weekend's action.

After scoring twice as a substitute at Leicester City last weekend, Mikel Merino was handed a starting berth in the hosts' attack alongside Trossard and Ethan Nwaneri.

The Spain international was lively in the early stages but unable to get on the end of an outswinging Thomas Partey cross towards the back post, before sending a left-footed effort high over the bar from a tight angle.

Riccardo Calafiori ed Arsenal's only shot on target before the interval, sending a fierce effort straight at goalkeeper Areola from the edge of the area, before Bowen displayed the ruthless edge the home side were lacking all afternoon.

The tension was palpable around Emirates Stadium even before Bowen's goal, and the home fans' anxiety soon turned into frustration in the second half as clear-cut openings remained few and far between.

Mikel Arteta's team committed everyone forward late on but Ben White - making his first appearance in more than three months - sent a fierce effort narrowly wide of the far post as Arsenal ended the game with only two shots on target.

The Gunners travel to high-flying Nottingham Forest on Wednesday, while Liverpool welcome Newcastle to Anfield that same night.

Like Arsenal, Graham Potter's team are currently short of attacking options after Lucas Paqueta ed Niclas Fullkrug, Crysencio Summerville and Michail Antonio in the treatment room in midweek.

However, they carried the greater attacking threat in the first half before keeping their opponents at bay in the second to end the Gunners' 15-match unbeaten Premier League run.

The Hammers, who trailed 4-0 after 36 minutes in the reverse fixture at London Stadium in November, could have taken the lead before Bowen's strike as Tomas Soucek twice headed over from a central position and Bowen sidefooted wide from Wan-Bissaka's .

Bowen was inches away from getting on the end of Aaron Cresswell's low delivery early in the second half, while Kudus' pace on the break could have led to further joy for the visiting fans late in the contest.

Kudus was denied a clear sight of goal by Lewis-Skelly's desperate foul, while the Ghanaian and second-half substitute Evan Ferguson should have done better from a counter-attack which ended with the Irishman turning into traffic.

The victory means Potter has won four of his five games against Arsenal at Emirates Stadium - only Pep Guardiola (eight) and Jurgen Klopp (six) have won more there as a visiting manager.