Bowen earns battling point against Gunners

West Ham 2 Arsenal 2

Arriving at Hackney Wick having bagged my 214th Wainwright fell there's a feeling we might upset Arsenal today. Matty Etherington is on the pitch pre-match (no, he didn't bet on the Grand National) and I'm joined by Matt, Lisa, Nigel, Fraser and Michael at a spring-like London Stadium.

But it all seems to be going wrong after ten minutes as another Newcastle-style thrashing beckons. First White gets behind the home defence to cross for Jesus to tap home. Match of the Day 2 fingers Benrahma for not tracking back but Cresswell, Kehrer and Coufal are also caught off-guard. It's two when Martinelli plays in a teasing cross for the unmarked Odegaard to drift in and stroke home.

The Arsenal fans get decidedly cocky, singing "You're going down!" and "Are you Tottenham in disguise?" but they don't realise West Ham have a new continental midfielder called Schadenfreude. 

Arsenal ease off and something happens as West Ham remember to compete. The Gunners' defenders don't like it when Antonio runs at them. On 33 minutes WHU are back in it. Rice dispossesses a dawdling Partey and feeds Paqueta. Lucas feels contact from Gabriel and goes down in the box to win a penalty. Benrahma sends Ramsdale the wrong way from the spot.

The crowd is ignited again as Benrahma makes a storming run from his own half to win a free kick. Antonio heads the resulting cross into the ground and Ramsey has to tip the bouncing ball over. Jesus starts to lose his cool and gets petulant. The Irons play a lot better and Arsenal start to look worried. At half-time we ban Nigel from eating his lucky banana as it's all to play for at 1-2 down.

The Irons win a couple of early corners but then the game seems over as Antonio turns his back on the ball in his own box and the ball strikes his hand. Penalty to the Arsenal. Saka takes a short run-up and strikes the ball somewhere towards the River Lea, to much derision from the Hammers' fans.

YOU'RE NOT SINGING ANYMORE!

That inspires both the crowd and Hammers' players. Kehrer lofts a ball back into the Arsenal box and there is Jarrod Bowen to expertly volley down into the ground and up over a flailing Ramsdale as the stadium erupts. The Gunners fans are not singing anymore.

It's turned into a really good game that could go either way. Coufal has a fine match and makes one great tackle on Martinelli, while Paqueta is busy and effective in midfield and Antonio and Bowen are causing all sorts of problems running at the Arsenal back-line. 

Arsenal go close when Jesus just fails to connect with a cross and Bowen does really well to head away a dangerous Saka cross from on the line. Saka can only shoot straight at Fabianski when released after a poor Paqueta pass. Benrahma shows fine determination to outmuscle Holding and get in a swinging cross that Antonio heads against the angle of post and bar. So nearly a famous comeback from 2-0 down.

We have five minutes of nervous added time to get through as "Come on you Irons!" booms around the stadium, but ultimately it's a great bonus point that gives Man City the upper hand in the title race, at least until we win at the Etihad. 

We head off to the Eagle in jovial mood as we watch Forest lose and Nigel tells us about his forthcoming Zombies gig and how Colin Blunstone quit music for a couple of years to become an accountant. Matt receives preferential treatment as he is presented with an East London Pale Ale from the mysterious contents of the Eagle's fridge while Michael chats with a heavy-metal fan of his work at the bar and Fraser celebrates the survival of Moyes again with an alcohol-free Guinness.

A satisfying day all round and another win or so should see West Ham survive with the bottom five seeming to be in real trouble. Irons!

PLAYER RATINGS: Fabianski 6; Coufal 8, Zouma 7, Kehrer 6, Cresswell 6; Rice 7, Soucek 6, Benrahma 7 (Fornals n/a), Paqueta 8 (Downes n/a); Antonio 8 (Cornet n/a), Bowen 8.