EPL results: Arsenal hammer West Ham, Manchester United edge Aston Villa

Arsenal's Bukayo Saka is mobbed by teammates as they celebrate after he scored his side's second goal against West Ham. Photo / AP

A record win for Arsenal. An absolutely critical one for Manchester United.

After Arsenal hammered West Ham 6-0 for their biggest Premier League away victory, United beat Aston Villa 2-1 in a huge result in the race for Champions League qualification.

Arsenal might be in their best form this season. Last weekend, Mikel Arteta’s team was handing league leader Liverpool only their second loss to tighten up the title race and they were running amok inside the Olympic Stadium, which rapidly emptied after West Ham fell 4-0 behind just before halftime.

Bukayo Saka scored twice and Declan Rice — a former West Ham favorite — added the sixth goal almost apologetically.

Arsenal joined Manchester City just two points behind Liverpool. All three of the big title contenders won this weekend.

United’s aspirations are simply to finish in the top four — or five — to get into the Champions League and that would have been a long shot had the visitors lost at Villa Park.

Instead, there’s only five points — rather than 11 — between United in sixth and Villa in fifth after Scott McTominay headed in an 86th-minute winner to earn his team a third straight league victory. Rasmus Hojlund opened the scoring for United and has now netted in five straight league matches.

West Ham fans stream out at halftime

Disgruntled West Ham’s fans streamed out of their ground in their hundreds prior to the halftime whistle, well before their former star player condemned the team to its joint-heaviest loss of all time.

It just had to be Rice running onto the ball and curling a long-range strike into the top corner to put the seal on an almost embarrassingly easy win for Arsenal.

Rice used to be West Ham’s best player, with his relentless energy, lung-busting runs and covering tackles. Now here he was, playing a big part in a clinic by Arsenal, with the home supporters’ booing of his every touch maybe spurring him on.

Rice’s set-piece deliveries set up first-half goals for William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, with Saka and Leandro Trossard also scoring before the break. After Saka’s second, Rice scored and didn’t even celebrate, holding up both of his hands apologetically instead. He was even applauded by some home supporters when he was substituted moments later.

Signed in July for 105 million pounds, it is looking like money well spent by Arsenal.

EPL scores

Sunday

Man City 2, Everton 0

Fulham 3, Bournemouth 1

Liverpool 3, Burnley 1

Luton Town 1, Sheffield United 3

Tottenham 2, Brighton 1

Wolverhampton 0, Brentford 2

Nottingham Forest 2, Newcastle 3

Today

West Ham 0, Arsenal 6

Aston Villa 1, Man United 2

EPL ladder

(Team, points)

1. Liverpool 54

2. Man City 52

3. Arsenal 52

4. Tottenham 47

5. Aston Villa 46

6. Man United 41

7. Newcastle 36

8. West Ham 36

9. Brighton 35

10. Wolves 32

11. Chelsea 31

12. Fulham 29

13. Bournemouth 27

14. Brentford 25

15. Crystal Palace 24

16. Nottingham Forest 21

17. Luton Town 20

18. Everton 19

19. Burnley 13

20. Sheffield United 13