London (AFP)

Arsenal broke its nine-game winless streak by going to West Ham (3-1) on Monday at the close of the 16th round of the Premier League, thanks in part to former Lille striker Nicolas Pépé, scorer and smuggler.

A first success also for Freddie Ljungberg who replaced Unai Emery three games ago, after a draw at the 18th, Norwich (2-2) and a home defeat against the 16th, Brighton (2-1).

These three points allow the Gunners to go up to 9th place with 22 points, only two lengths behind Manchester United, 5th, and leave the fear that the days of Manuel Pellegrini at the head of West Ham are counted.

However, it was long thought that this match was again going to escape Arsenal, author of a first period of insignificant poverty, symptomatic of a team with confidence at half mast.

The first 45 minutes missed were crowned by a goal by Angelo Ogbonna where passivity of the defense was added to the misfortune of a balloon hijacked by Ainsley Maitland-Niles (1-0, 38).

The first quarter of an hour of the second act gave rise to fears of a performance of the same kind until an action full of spontaneity and precision, but totally unexpected, where Granit Xhaka launched Sead Kolasinac on the right, whose center was set back. found Gabriel Martinelli who concluded an uncontrolled recovery (1-1, 60th).

It was already the eighth goal of the season for the 18-year-old Brazilian but the first in the league, for his first tenure in this competition, to the detriment of Alexandre Lacazette.

This goal seemed to take a weight off the shoulders of the Gunners who scored twice in nine minutes, the first by Nicolas Pepe, after his fetish concatenation, outside-inside hook left, who found the small opposite net (2-1, 66th).

The goal of the break came three minutes later, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang shifting the Ivorian who sent him a perfect dive center for a resumption of volley that the goalkeeper Hammers should have left (3-1, 69th).

Ljungberg's accolade to Pepe when he was released in the 88th minute was significant.

Titularized while he seemed to be failing under Emery, the freshness and sense of provocation of the winger in a more direct game, is a promising track for Arsenal which has long been the DNA.

hap / mca

Results of the 16th day of the English Football Championship:

Saturday

Everton - Chelsea 3 - 1

Bournemouth - Liverpool 0 - 3

Tottenham - Burnley 5 - 0

Watford - Crystal Palace 0 - 0

Manchester City - Manchester United 1 - 2

Sunday

Aston Villa - Leicester 1 - 4

Newcastle - Southampton 2 - 1

Norwich City - Sheffield United 1 - 2

Brighton - Wolverhampton 2 - 2

on Monday

West Ham - Arsenal 1 - 3

© 2019 AFP