David Moyes was thrilled to get West Ham’s Europa League campaign back on track after Lucas Paqueta’s goal secured a 1-0 victory over Olympiacos.

The Brazil midfielder crashed in a second-half volley to keep the Hammers on top of Group A and to the brink of qualifying for the knockout stages.

Moyes’ side are also guaranteed European football after Christmas with the worst-case scenario a third-placed finish meaning a return to the Europa Conference League and a chance to defend the trophy they won last season.

They enjoyed a measure of revenge, too, having accused the Greek team of celebrating their 2-1 win in the reverse fixture two weeks ago as if they had won the Europa League itself.

Not only that, but West Ham have now won their last nine home games in Europe since the start of last season, one more than Manchester City.

“We were disappointed to lose our record of 17 unbeaten two weeks ago against Olympiacos, so it’s good to get back on track,” said Moyes.

“We’re top of the group, we still have two matches to play but at the moment I think this is the hardest group we’ve had, in our third year in it, and it’s proved to be the case. We’ve done the job tonight. It’s a great result for us.

“Europe has been great for this football club, we’ve had some great nights and long may they continue.”

Paqueta, the best player on the pitch, broke the deadlock in the 74th minute after Bowen’s square pass found James Ward-Prowse.

The former Southampton midfielder chipped the ball forward into the area for Paqueta to fire home on the volley.

The goal was initially ruled out by an assistant referee’s flag, but a VAR check showed the Brazilian was onside and referee Matej Jug, who had infuriated West Ham with some strange decisions all evening, got the biggest cheer of the night when he signalled a goal.

“I don’t think VAR needed to come to the rescue, it was onside, it was a goal,” added Moyes.

“We needed it because the game was very tight, there was very little in it.

“He took the goal brilliantly tonight but there were lots of things I wanted him to do better. We’ve got room for improvement.”

It was a fourth assist in four European outings for Ward-Prowse, who was overlooked by England again earlier in the day, more than a year after his last call-up.

Paqueta pointedly went to the 3,000 travelling fans to celebrate, probably because the West Ham players were targeted by laser pens from Greek supporters in Athens.

West Ham survived a late scare when Mady Camara rattled a post but they held on to complete their European revenge mission.

Lucas Paqueta got West Ham’s Europa League campaign back on track with the winner in a 1-0 victory over Olympiacos.

The Brazil midfielder crashed in a second-half volley to keep the Hammers on top of Group A and to the brink of qualifying for the knockout stages.

It was also a measure of revenge for West Ham, who had accused the Greek team of celebrating their 2-1 win in the reverse fixture two weeks ago as if they had won the Europa League itself.

Olympiacos fans created a hostile atmosphere that night in Athens, unfurling a huge banner across one stand reading ‘Tonight you dine in hell’.

The London Stadium, by contrast, could never be referred to as a cauldron of noise, and besides, ‘Tonight you dine in Westfield’ does not have the same ring to it.

Nevertheless, the place was crackling at kick-off with the Hammers, last season’s Europa Conference League winners, in need of a victory to keep their continental destiny in their own hands.

But a workmanlike but limited Olympiacos proved a tough nut to crack in the opening 45 minutes.

Said Benrahma dragged an early shot wide and then saw a better one saved by visiting goalkeeper Alexandros Paschalakis.

From the corner James Ward-Prowse’s cross was headed straight at Paschalakis by Nayef Aguerd.

Jarrod Bowen, on the day he earned another call up to the England squad, nodded Vladimir Coufal’s cross wide before Paschalakis was called into action again by Benrahma’s low drive.

Two more Aguerd headers were off target before Olympiacos had their first shot in anger, shortly before half-time, with on-loan Wolves forward Daniel Podence volleying Francisco Ortega’s cross wide.

Ward-Prowse should have given his side the lead on the hour when he met a cutback from Bowen, but the midfielder’s shot was straight at Paschalakis.

But Paqueta, the best player on the pitch, finally broke the deadlock after Bowen’s square pass found Ward-Prowse.

The former Southampton midfielder chipped it forward into the area for Paqueta to fire home on the volley from.

The goal was initially ruled out by an assistant referee’s flag, but a VAR check showed the Brazilian was onside and referee Matej Jug, who had infuriated West Ham with some strange decisions all evening, got the biggest cheer of the night when he signalled a goal.

It was a fourth assist in four European outings for Ward-Prowse, who was overlooked by England again earlier in the day, more than a year after his last call-up.

Paqueta pointedly went to the 3,000 travelling fans to celebrate, probably because the West Ham players were targeted by laser pens from Greek supporters in Athens.

West Ham survived a late scare when Mady Camara rattled a post but they held on to complete their European revenge mission.

What the papers say

David Moyes could remain at West Ham even if his contract as manager expires in the summer, it has been reported. According to the Daily Mail, the 60-year-old is being lined up by Hammers bosses for a job ‘upstairs’, although details of the exact role are not clear. Moyes has been in charge of the club since 2019, but there are reports his future as manager is in doubt following a run of four defeats in five games.

Bristol Live, via Sky Sports, says Liam Manning is closing in on becoming the new Bristol City manager. Manning’s Oxford are second in League One, but the opportunity to go up a division with Bristol City is believed to be too good for the 38-year-old to turn down.

And the Daily Mail reports Steven Gerrard‘s Al Ettifaq are gearing up for a spending spree across Europe as the side looks to dramatically improve their fortunes in the Saudi Pro League. Former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson joined Al Ettifaq over the summer, while ex-Celtic striker Moussa Dembele is also on the books.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Bruno Fernandes: The Manchester United midfielder is wanted by several Saudi Pro League clubs, according to journalist Rudy Galetti.

Rayan Cherki: Football Insider reports the Lyon forward is on the radar at Manchester United and Newcastle.

Jeremy Doku joined an exclusive club in Manchester City’s win over Bournemouth, with his four assists one of a host of Premier League records notched up over the weekend.

Jarrod Bowen and Brighton also made bits of history and here, the PA news agency looks at the landmarks headlined by Doku’s virtuoso display.

Four-assist club

Doku inspired the 6-1 thumping of Bournemouth, scoring the first goal and then setting up Bernardo Silva, twice, and Phil Foden as well as seeing a shot deflect in off Manuel Akanji.

Doku is the eighth man – and, at 21, the youngest – to record four assists in a single Premier League game, a feat first achieved by former Arsenal striker Dennis Bergkamp when he set up Ray Parlour’s brace and two of Nicolas Anelka’s hat-trick in a 5-0 win over Leicester in 1999.

The Gunners dominate the list, with Jose Antonio Reyes feeding Thierry Henry, twice, Philippe Senderos and Aleksandr Hleb in 2006’s 7-0 win over Middlesbrough and an imperious Cesc Fabregas setting up the first three, scoring the fourth and laying on the fifth for Theo Walcott in a 6-2 win over Blackburn in 2009.

Emmanuel Adebayor had left Arsenal and returned to north London with Tottenham before he joined the four-assist club in 2012, setting up the first four before scoring himself to round off a 5-0 win over Newcastle.

Santi Cazorla added to the Arsenal contingent in the following season’s 4-1 win over Wigan and Spurs striker Harry Kane remarkably set up Son Heung-min four times before scoring the fifth in 2020’s 5-2 win at Southampton.

Paul Pogba provided the first entry from outside north London in Manchester United’s 5-1 opening-day defeat of Leeds in 2021 and Doku ensured both sides of Manchester are now represented.

Other landmarks

West Ham winger Bowen’s goal at Brentford extended his run of scoring in every away game to a Premier League-record six matches from the start of a season.

The England international opened the scoring in a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth and netted the Hammers’ second in a 3-1 win at Brighton before setting them on their way to a 2-1 success at Luton.

They have lost all three away games since but that is not down to Bowen, who scored as they went down 3-1 at Liverpool and 4-1 at Aston Villa and put them 2-1 up in Saturday’s eventual 3-2 loss.

The former Hull star has only one league goal at the London Stadium this term, in the 2-0 win over Sheffield United, and another in the Carabao Cup win over Arsenal.

Brighton’s games have all seen goals for both teams – they have beaten Luton and Wolves 4-1 and Newcastle, Manchester United and Bournemouth 3-1, lost 3-1 to the Hammers, 6-1 at Villa and 2-1 to Manchester City and drawn 2-2 with Liverpool and 1-1 with Fulham and now Everton.

Eleven games is the longest such run from the start of a season, beating the record of nine by Middlesbrough in 2000-01 and Leicester on their way to the 2015-16 title.

The Seagulls’ last four results of last season were 1-4, 3-1, 1-1 and 1-2, leaving them one away from Everton’s all-time Premier League record of 16 consecutive games in which both teams have scored.

That was set between September 2012 and January 2013 and featured eight draws – five 1-1s and three 2-2s. It ended with back-to-back goalless draws against Swansea and Southampton.

David Moyes admitted he would have been “disgusted” with himself as a player if he had made some of the mistakes West Ham made against Brentford.

The Hammers’ Brentford curse struck again after Nathan Collins condemned them to a 3-2 defeat on an unlikely afternoon of firsts in west London.

Defender Collins scored his first goal for the club after Jarrod Bowen became the first player in Premier League history to score in each of his side’s first six away matches.

There was also a first goal in 35 matches, and 14 months, for Brentford forward Neal Maupay.

Unfortunately for West Ham, it was a first Premier League win – or even point – against the Bees which eluded them. Thomas Frank’s side have the hoodoo over the Hammers having won all five meetings since they were promoted.

“We weren’t talking about anything weird and wonderful,” said former centre-half Moyes.

“We’ve found that we’ve not dealt with things which as a player I would have been disgusted with myself for not being able to deal with them much better.

“I don’t think my teams do that. That is why I am annoyed that I’ve come here and not been able to defend when put under pressure.”

Maupay headed Brentford into a 10th-minute lead with his first goal since he scored against West Ham in September 2022.

West Ham equalised through a stunning volley from Ghana winger Mohammed Kudus and were ahead after 26 minutes through Bowen’s strike.

But a glaring miss from Michail Antonio before half-time proved costly as West Ham fell foul of two Brentford crosses, with an own goal from Konstantinos Mavropanos and Collins’ fine header giving Brentford a third straight win.

“The first goal was ‘Keystone Cops’,” added Moyes. “If you see that today, how can you win if you don’t deal with those moments?

“The second cross comes from (Bryan) Mbuemo and we should have dealt with that, then a cross to the back post and Collins gets it.

“We’re talking about small things, but small things lead to bigger things. We didn’t deal well enough with the small things.”

Brentford climbed above West Ham after a third straight victory and a 14th London derby without defeat.

“If feels of course very good,” said Frank. “Every win in the Premier League feels fantastic and coming back from 2-1 down, against a good team, and also a good performance makes me a happy man.

“I’m smiling, I’m so pleased for Neal. The last three weeks he was showing more and more in training with the sharp touches, the good finishes, more and more confident, getting up to his best level.

“The players were really celebrating Neal’s goal, and that tells you a lot about the group. A goalscoring run? That would be nice.”

Nathan Collins secured a 3-2 win for Brentford over West Ham on an unlikely afternoon of firsts in west London.

Defender Collins scored his first goal for the Bees after Jarrod Bowen became the first player in Premier League history to score in each of his side’s first six away matches.

There was also a first goal in 35 matches, and 14 months, for Brentford forward Neal Maupay.

Unfortunately for West Ham, it was a first Premier League win – or even point – against the Bees which eluded them. Thomas Frank’s side have the hoodoo over the Hammers having won all five meetings since they were promoted.

Maupay’s last goal was for Everton in a 1-0 win against none other than West Ham, at Goodison Park in September 2022.

So it came as little surprise to anyone of a claret and blue persuasion that he would end his drought here. It took him only 10 minutes and it was the scruffiest of goals, but the 27-year-old could not have cared less.

Yoane Wissa had a shot blocked in a crowded West Ham penalty area and Frank Onyeka’s swipe at the rebound bounced into the ground and up for Maupay to glance past Alphonse Areola.

If that goal was not exactly one for the purists, West Ham’s equaliser certainly was.

Michail Antonio crossed from the left and Mohammed Kudus steadied himself before executing a stunning, acrobatic volley across Bees keeper Mark Flekken and into the far corner.

It was the Ghana winger’s fifth goal since joining West Ham from Ajax, on what was only his second Premier League start.

West Ham took the lead after 26 minutes as Bowen grabbed his landmark goal.

Kudus diverted Said Benrahma’s cross onto the far post and Bowen was on hand to tuck away the rebound, the goal surviving a VAR check for handball against the England winger.

West Ham should have led 3-1 at the break but Antonio, in trying to get on the end of Bowen’s cross, inadvertently made a goal-saving challenge to prevent Benrahma scoring with a far-post tap-in.

Instead, 10 minutes into the second half it was 2-2.

Hammers boss David Moyes had just been booked for chirruping away at fourth official John Busby, and his mood did not improve when defender Konstantinos Mavropanos headed Bryan Mbeumo’s cross into his own net.

West Ham would probably have settled for a point but Brentford did not, and in the 69th minute Mathias Jensen crossed from the right and Collins rose highest at the far post to head the winner.

Jarrod Bowen became the first player to net in his team's first six Premier League away games of the season with his goal against Brentford on Saturday.

With 26 minutes on the clock at the Gtech Community Stadium, Bowen poked home the rebound after Mohammed Kudus' shot hit the post to make it 2-1 to the Hammers, creating history in the process as he also became the first West Ham player to score in six in a row on the road in the competition.

The goal took him to seven on the season and separated him from the illustrious company of Thierry Henry and Mohamed Salah, who prior to this season were the only two players to net in their team's first five away games of the Premier League season.

Bowen has been a key player for West Ham since arriving from Hull City in January 2020 for an initial fee of £18 million, and his seven Premier League goals this campaign mean he has already beaten last term's disappointing tally of six after just 11 games.

Manchester United’s woes continued as their defence of the Carabao Cup ended with a 3-0 loss to Newcastle at Old Trafford.

The fourth-round rematch between last season’s finalists saw Newcastle strike twice in the first half through Miguel Almiron and Lewis Hall.

Joe Willock then added a third just past the hour mark as Erik ten Hag’s side slumped to an eighth defeat in all competitions this season, and second 3-0 reverse at home in four days following Sunday’s loss to Manchester City.

Arsenal were also eliminated, going down 3-1 at West Ham as Declan Rice returned to the London Stadium.

An early Ben White own-goal put the Hammers in front and finishes from Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen followed after the break before Martin Odegaard scored a consolation goal for the Gunners in stoppage time.

Liverpool advanced to the quarter-finals with a 2-1 win at Bournemouth sealed by substitute Darwin Nunez’s stunning strike.

The Uruguayan fired in what proved the winner in the 70th minute, six minutes after Justin Kluivert’s first Bournemouth goal had cancelled out Cody Gakpo’s first-half opener.

Chelsea beat Blackburn 2-0 at Stamford Bridge courtesy of goals in either half from Benoit Badiashile and Raheem Sterling.

Everton boss Sean Dyche saw his side beat his old club Burnley 3-0 at Goodison Park, with ex-Claret James Tarkowski, Amadou Onana and Ashley Young getting on the scoresheet.

Fulham won 3-1 at Championship high-fliers Ipswich. Harry Wilson, Muniz and Tom Cairney put the Cottagers three goals up before Elkan Baggott reduced the deficit late on.

Mikel Arteta took the blame for Arsenal’s painful 3-1 Carabao Cup defeat at West Ham.

Arteta made six changes to his line-up for the fourth-round clash, starting with Declan Rice on the bench on his Hammers homecoming.

Rice, who lifted the Europa Conference League trophy as West Ham captain last season, was back at his old club for the first time since his £105million switch to the Gunners.

But he will not be getting his hands on the Carabao Cup this season after strikes from Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen, following an early own goal by Ben White, sent the north Londoners crashing out.

“I’m very disappointed,” said Gunners boss Arteta. “I’m responsible for that, we’re out of the cup, we wanted to play a very different game and compete.

“The game took a direction because of the first goal but we have to see much more from the team and earn the right to win.

“I’m disappointed with myself. We wanted to play in a different way and we weren’t able to do that. Every time we lose the pain is there.

“We have to use this pain and this defeat to prepare the best way for Newcastle on Saturday.”

West Ham took the lead after 15 minutes when Bowen’s corner was inadvertently headed past Aaron Ramsdale by White at the near post.

The second goal arrived in the 50th minute when Ghana winger Kudus collected a long ball into the box from Nayef Aguerd, skipped past Oleksandr Zinchenko and rifled a low shot through the legs of Gabriel and into the net.

Rice was the only goalscorer the last time West Ham beat Arsenal, in the Premier League in 2019.

“You should have signed for a big club” was the mischievous chant aimed at the 24-year-old when he came out to warm up.

Much of the build-up to the match centred around the reception the England midfielder would receive and when he was sent on in the 56th minute the boos were quickly drowned out by a standing ovation from most of the home fans.

But, before Rice had a chance to get into the game, West Ham had a third after Bowen collected White’s headed clearance and lashed it past Ramsdale via a deflection off Jakub Kiwior.

Martin Odegaard scored a consolation goal with the last kick but it was West Ham’s night as they marched into the quarter-finals.

“It was a really good solid team performance. The forward players did a really good job and for long periods we were good defensively. For most of it we coped well,” said boss David Moyes.

“Maybe we are becoming quite a good cup team. I want to be a really good league team if I can be but if I can’t quite do that then we have to do well in the cups if we can.

“We have only won against Arsenal, we don’t get trophies for that.”

West Ham welcomed Declan Rice back to the London Stadium and then promptly sent him and Arsenal packing on the end of a 3-1 Carabao Cup defeat.

Rice, who lifted the Europa Conference League trophy as Hammers captain last season, was back at his old club for the first time since his £105million switch to the Gunners.

But he will not be getting his hands on the Carabao Cup this season after strikes from Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen, following an early own goal by Ben White, sent the north Londoners crashing out.

Rice started on the bench as Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta made six changes to his line-up for the fourth-round clash and the most of the damage was done by the time he was called upon.

West Ham took the lead after 15 minutes when Bowen’s corner was inadvertently headed past Aaron Ramsdale by White at the near post.

Gunners keeper Ramsdale, making his first appearance since the win at Brentford in the previous round, complained that Tomas Soucek had a hold of his shirt as the ball came over and he probably had a case but, with no VAR in operation, the goal stood.

White attempted to make amends but unfortunately for Arsenal his header at the other end was not quite as accurate and Lukasz Fabianski tipped it over the crossbar, with Eddie Nketiah heading the resulting corner wide.

After the break, Ramsdale made a fine save to deny Bowen, who was sent through by Lucas Paqueta, with White completing the clearance on the goal-line.

But the second goal arrived in the 50th minute when Ghana winger Kudus collected a long ball into the box from Nayef Aguerd, skipped past Oleksandr Zinchenko and rifled a low shot through the legs of Gabriel and into the net.

Rice was the only goalscorer the last time West Ham beat Arsenal, in the Premier League in 2019.

“You should have signed for a big club” was the mischievous chant aimed at the 24-year-old when he came out to warm up.

Much of the build-up to the match centred around the reception the England midfielder would receive and when he was sent on in the 56th minute the boos were quickly drowned out by a standing ovation from most of the home fans.

But, before Rice had a chance to get into the game, West Ham had a third after Bowen collected White’s headed clearance and lashed it past Ramsdale via a deflection off Jakub Kiwior.

Martin Odegaard scored a consolation goal with the last kick but it was West Ham’s night as they marched into the quarter-finals.

David Moyes expects Declan Rice to be “welcomed with open arms” when he returns to West Ham with Arsenal on Wednesday.

England midfielder Rice will face his old club for the first time since joining the Gunners for £105million in the summer when the teams meet in the Carabao Cup.

The 24-year-old made 245 appearances for West Ham and captained them to victory in the Europa Conference League, the club’s first silverware in 43 years.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Declan Rice (@declanrice)

The Hammers fans are not exactly renowned for giving former players a warm welcome upon their return with another club, but boss Moyes believes Rice will get the recognition he deserves when he runs out at the London Stadium.

“You’ve got to remember this is the man who lifted this club’s first European trophy in more than 50 years,” said Moyes.

“He should be welcomed back with open arms. We’re all looking forward to seeing him again.

“He was a brilliant member of the team. He led the team brilliantly well. He conducted himself impeccably as a West Ham captain and as a player.

“The most important thing was that he gave 100 per cent in every game, even though we sort of knew he probably wasn’t going to stay at West Ham. So all credit to him. He conducted himself brilliantly well and for that alone he deserves to be cheered.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing Dec again. I’ve not seen him since he left. I don’t know if I want him to play, but I hope he’s there.”

Moyes is likely to include Lucas Paqueta and Edson Alvarez against Arsenal as both are suspended for Saturday’s Premier League trip to Brentford after collecting five bookings.

Former Arsenal players Lukasz Fabianski and Konstantinos Mavropanos will also be involved along with Emerson Palmieri, who is back from a ban.

Mikel Arteta believes Declan Rice’s potential return to West Ham will be “beautiful” – if the Arsenal manager decides to play the midfielder in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup clash.

The 24-year-old England international moved across London in the summer, the Gunners paying a club-record £105million to prise him away from the Hammers.

Rice, who captained West Ham to victory in the Europa Conference League final in the last of his 245 games for the club he joined at the age of 14, could be in line for his first return to east London having shone in the opening months of his fledgling Arsenal career.

“It will be his first time back at his old club and a beautiful moment for him, I think,” Arteta said on the eve of the fourth-round tie.

“I think it is beautiful. I had a chance to do it a few times and then you really see what they think of you and what you left at the club.”

Arteta feels Rice will receive a warm welcome from the West Ham fans, adding: “Every time you hear him talk about West Ham and what they did for him and everybody at the club, he cannot talk any higher of them, so hopefully they will be the same way towards him.”

While Arteta suggested it was “likely” Rice would be involved in the game in some way, he was rested entirely for the 1-0 win at Brentford in the previous round.

The Spaniard made a total of eight changes for the victory in west London but insists the Carabao Cup – which he won twice as a coach at Manchester City – is still a major honour.

“It’s a competition that we have the chance to progress and win a trophy and our mindset has to be focused on West Ham,” he said.

“I live it exactly the same as the Premier League (on Wednesday). I have the same thing in my tummy and the certain thing and same way to prepare and I’m going to be there, closer to the game, and I just want to win the game for sure.

“Even if you are doing rotations, I think the role of the players that are now committed to challenge for this trophy or for this game, I think it’s critical for them to show what they can do.”

Gabriel Jesus will not feature despite Arteta revealing the striker is “already pushing” to return from a hamstring injury suffered in a Champions League win at Sevilla last week.

Captain Martin Odegaard is again likely to be rested as he recovers from a hip complaint, while Arteta admitted to “concerns” over Thomas Partey’s most recent setback.

The Ghana midfielder missed just seven games in five years at Atletico Madrid but has been plagued with issues since joining Arsenal in 2020 – sitting out 53 fixtures for club and country in that time.

“I think that he will be out for weeks,” Arteta said of Partey’s latest injury.

“It is a big concern because, when Thomas is fit and available and he’s been part of the team, we have seen what the results and the impact that he has on the team.

“This season we have more protection, especially for that reason as well because we know in the past two seasons what has happened and the impact that it had on the team, so we had to address that.”

Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka insists he is not concerned about burnout and is ready to answer manager Mikel Arteta’s challenge of playing 70 games this season.

The England winger, 22, captained the Gunners to a 5-0 victory over Sheffield United on Saturday afternoon to keep them within two points of the top of the Premier League.

Saka has started all-but one of Arsenal’s Premier League and Champions League games this season, sitting out the victory over Manchester City with a hamstring complaint.

Missing the win ended a streak of 87 successive league appearances for Saka, stretching back to May 2021.

Saka’s durability has been an asset for club and country as Arteta called for him to keep playing and contributing to Arsenal’s quest for silverware.

“Look at the top players in the world, they play 70 matches and every three days and make the difference and win the game. You want to be at the top, you have to be able to do that,” the Spanaird said last year.

Saka, who notched up 62 appearances for both Arsenal and England last season, believes he can produce the kind of numbers Arteta is demanding.

“I think it’s possible,” Saka said. “When you look at the top players, they are there every three days and they are winning games for their team.

“So I’m trying to be at that level, and to obviously be at that level I need to push myself. Of course, it’s difficult, but I’m trying to do it and give it my best.

“I think I’m really focused on the next coming games and what I can do for the team. My focus is not really there (on talk of potentially burning out).

“I’m a guy who always wants to be on the pitch, always wants to give my best, and if I’m injured and I have to be forced to be out, then of course I will sit out.

“But as long I’m there and I’m ready to play, I am always going to give my best and tell them that I want to play.”

Saka is expected to be rested as Arteta shuffles his pack for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup fourth-round trip to West Ham.

But he could once again be sporting the captain’s armband when Arsenal travel to Newcastle in the Premier League on Saturday, with skipper Martin Odegaard nursing a hip problem and regular stand-in Gabriel Jesus out with a hamstring injury.

“It was a really special moment for me,” Saka said of leading out Arsenal as captain for the first time.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Bukayo Saka (@bukayosaka87)

“To be honest, I can’t really describe how I was feeling when I was walking out. I just tried to take in the atmosphere and just realise where I am and where I’ve come from.

“Then obviously I had to switch my focus to the game and we did, and we got the three points – which is the most important thing at the end of the day.

“We are close to the top of the table in the Premier League, we are top of our Champions League group and we are still in all the other competitions.

“I think that is something we can be proud of, but I agree there is another level for us to go to. We are pushing.”

Sean Dyche and Dominic Calvert-Lewin dedicated Everton’s 1-0 victory at West Ham to chairman Bill Kenwright.

The Toffees were playing their first match since the death of Kenwright on Monday at the age of 78.

It was a performance the lifelong Everton fan would surely have been proud of with Calvert-Lewin hitting a superb second-half winner.

“Firstly, and you can’t guarantee it, but it’s befitting to win after the week we’ve had following the sad loss of the chairman,” said Toffees boss Dyche.

“The players know the depth of the chairman’s love for the club, they’re well aware of that.”

Calvert-Lewin revealed the shock of the news affected everyone at Goodison Park.

“No-one was prepared for what happened this week and it has saddened everyone at the club. That one was for Bill,” the striker told Sky Sports.

“He would have been proud of us and proud of how we won – to get the lead, dig in and work so hard. It was a very good day.”

Calvert-Lewin, who has been beset by injuries over the past couple of seasons, looks to be finally getting back to his best.

Six minutes into the second half he played a one-two with Jack Harrison, Cruyff-turned away from Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd and hit a low shot past Alphonse Areola.

It was his 50th Premier League goal for Everton, joining Romelu Lukaku, Duncan Ferguson and Tim Cahill in reaching the half-century.

“Dom’s a very good player who’s had a tough couple of years,” added Dyche.

“He’s very close now, you can tell in his body language and it was a fine finish.

“He looks stronger, sharper. It is a really good marker for him to get to that number.”

A second away win of the season gave Everton a little more breathing space between them and the bottom three.

“This is a tough place to come, they’ve proved that over the last couple of years, so it was a very good performance,” said Dyche.

“We are improving from last season. I think there are clear signs of that.”

For West Ham, it was a third defeat in eight days following reverses at Aston Villa and in the Europa League at Olympiacos.

David Moyes picked an attacking line-up, handing Ghana winger Mohammed Kudus his first start in the Premier League, but their only shot on target came in the 90th minute through substitute Said Benrahma.

“That would be a problem for us,” said Moyes. “But, let’s be fair, that’s the first game we’ve not scored a goal in this season.

“But I agree, I thought we missed chances today, we missed two or three opportunities to score. I don’t think it was ever going to be a game where we had nine or 10 opportunities. I didn’t see it that way for either team.”

David Moyes defended his team selection after West Ham’s unbeaten European record was reduced to ruins in Athens.

The Hammers came a cropper in the shadow of the Acropolis as they crashed 2-1 at Olympiacos, their first loss in continental competition in 18 matches.

Moyes, who led his side to the Europa Conference League title last season, made seven changes for their Europa League Group A clash in the Greek capital with one eye on Sunday’s visit of Everton.

But his tinkering backfired as a soft goal from Olympiacos captain Kostas Fortounis and an own goal from stand-in Hammers skipper Angelo Ogbonna brought their undefeated run to a halt despite Lucas Paqueta’s late volley.

“Look, we changed a lot of players tonight, we’ve got the Premier League coming up and we’ve got a League Cup game next week and we’d won the first two games in the group, which gave us leeway to make changes tonight,” Moyes told whufc.com.

“But maybe I have to recognise that while we didn’t win the Conference League games easily, as they were all tough games, coming to Olympiacos after winning away in Freiburg – which was a good result – this wasn’t a good result and wasn’t a good performance.

“In our heads we certainly had a bigger picture in our heads and that was going into Sunday.

“I don’t think anybody could say the team we started with wasn’t a good team and wasn’t a team capable of winning or performing.

“Many of them have been very good players for us over the years and still are.”

The local ‘ultras’ welcomed West Ham on to the pitch with a huge banner reading “tonight you dine in hell”, and the Hammers’ first-half display was certainly hard to stomach.

The hosts took the lead in the 34th minute when Fortounis launched an old-fashioned toe poke from the edge of the box which flew past the flat-footed Alphonse Areola in the West Ham goal.

On the stroke of half-time the Hammers found themselves two behind when Ogbonna suffered his own personal Greek tragedy.

The Italian veteran stuck out a foot to block a cross from Brazilian full-back Rodinei, only to help it past Areola into his own net.

Moyes sent on Paqueta, Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio before the hour mark but the Brazilian’s strike, albeit spectacular, was all West Ham had to show for a late flurry.

Fortounis admitted his goal was a shade fortuitous. He told reporters: “To be honest, it all seems like a haze.

“I turned and ran towards goal, the ball was right in front of me and I couldn’t do anything else. It was literally a strike with the tip of my toe.”