Five-star Arsenal demolish West Ham in EPL rout

Inspired by Bukayo Saka, Arsenal have scored five goals in a wild first half at West Ham United before settling for a 5-2 win that lifted the team into second place in the Premier League.

Saka was one of five different scorers for Arsenal in the day's late game at the Olympic Stadium on Saturday and also had a hand in three goals, by Gabriel, Leandro Trossard and Martin Odegaard.

Kai Havertz netted the other goal for Arsenal in their biggest league victory this season.

Since returning from the international break, Arsenal have beaten Nottingham Forest 3-0 in the Premier League, Sporting Lisbon 5-1 in the Champions League and put another five goals past the Hammers.

The prolific run has coincided with the return to fitness of Odegaard, Arsenal's playmaker and captain who missed two months with an ankle injury.

Arsenal trimmed the gap to Liverpool to six points ahead of the leader's home match against beleaguered Manchester City on Sunday.

All of the goals in the match were in the first half. It's just the fourth time since the EPL began in 1992 that seven goals were scored in a game before halftime.

"That tells you how crazy it was," said Gunners manager Mikel Arteta.

"A spectacular 30 minutes, straight away showed how much the team wanted it, to score three great goals in different ways and then the fourth.

"We are in a great moment. But in football, be on your toes. It's so competitive. We'll analyse today and go again tomorrow."

Meanwhile, a day after being hired as Leicester City manager, Ruud van Nistelrooy witnessed at first hand the scale of his task to keep the team in the league.

The Foxes were beaten at Brentford 4-1 on Saturday, with Van Nistelrooy sitting in the stands rather than in the dugout. He officially takes over as coach on Sunday after arriving as the replacement for the fired Steve Cooper.

Kevin Schade scored a hat-trick and Yoane Wissa also netted for the Bees, who had to come from behind after Facunda Buonanotte's 21st-minute opener.

Van Nistelrooy, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid striker, will begin his first full-time managerial role in English football with Leicester in 16th place and just one point above the relegation zone.

In other matches, history was made when Justin Kluivert converted a trio of penalties ? in the third, 18th and 74th minutes ? for Bournemouth in their 4-2 win at Wolves, something that has never been achieved before in a league game.

Newcastle United lost Sweden striker Alexander Isak to a hip injury midway through the first half and then their lead in the fourth minute of added time in a 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace.

Daniel Munoz scored the late equaliser to lift Palace out of the bottom three on goal difference.

Chris Wood smashed a penalty down the middle for his eighth goal of the season to earn Nottingham Forest a 1-0 win at home to Ipswich Town.