Centre-backs fire Gunners back above Spurs, in spite of Son’s brace

Mikel Arteta’s Gunners were kicking off less than an hour after Spurs had climbed a point above them into fourth place in the Premier League with a 3-1 defeat of Leicester City.

West Ham, like Leicester City, made changes ahead of the second leg of their European semi-final games.

But they gave Arsenal a stern examination in a match that took a little time to get going.

After a 38-minute wait for the first effort of note, Rob Holding and Gabriel Magalhaes were the unlikely Arsenal scorers on either side of a Jarrod Bowen equaliser.

Eddie Nketiah’s low effort from the edge of the penalty box was turned behind by Lukasz Fabianski seven minutes before the break, and the game burst into life from that moment.

Arsenal were in front from the resulting corner-kick as Holding got up ahead of Kurt Zouma to nod into the bottom-left corner for his first Premier League goal.

Back came West Ham, though, and after Aaron Ramsdale expertly kept out a header from Declan Rice, he was beaten by a deflected Bowen strike.

The winger was given time and space to control and shoot inside the area.

But Arsenal were back in front nine minutes after half-time through Gabriel, their other centre-back.

He was picked out by a fine Gabriel Martinelli cross and headed beyond Fabianski.

Nketiah should have taken the game away from West Ham.

But he fired wide after cutting in from the left on the break before the striker drew a sharp low stop from Fabianski.

However, the visitors were not made to pay for those squandered chances, holding on for a third straight victory that again puts them two points clear of Tottenham.

Earlier in the day, Spurs kept up their UEFA Champions League hopes with a 3-1 victory over Leicester City, temporarily going up fourth.

Harry Kane predictably opened the scoring for Spurs —– his 17th goal in 14 Premier League matches against former loan club Leicester City.

But Son Heung Min stole the show, grabbing a brace.

Tottenham were far more accomplished in the second half than they had been in a shaky opening period, although only the result matters at this stage of the season.

A trip to Liverpool is to come next week ahead of a massive north London derby.

The Leicester City team showed nine changes from Thursday’s 1-1 draw with Roma, yet they enjoyed the better of the play before Kane’s opener.

Patson Daka saw a low shot from a precise Boubakary Soumare cross touched onto the post by Hugo Lloris.

Brendan Rodgers’ side were far too accommodating at the other end, though.

That was when Son swung over a right-wing corner-kick in the 22nd minute, and Kane was granted a clear run to head down and past Kasper Schmeichel.

Leicester City were similarly generous 11 minutes later, as Nampalys Mendy’s underhit backpass set Kane through, forcing Schmeichel to block bravely.

The introduction of Dejan Kulusevski early in the second half then led to the second goal after Cristian Romero won a pair of crunching tackles to tee up the winger.

He picked out Son to steer a left-footed finish beyond Schmeichel on the turn.

Kulusevski and Son combined again for number three, albeit that goal was all about the quality of the scorer.

He took a square pass on the edge of the penalty box and curled into the top-left corner.

Super Eagles forward Kelechi Iheanacho gave Leicester City some belated cheer with a fine stoppage-time consolation, fired in off the post from outside the area.