West Ham manager David Moyes claims teams are accepting poor refereeing as the norm after his side conceded the latest ever Premier League goal in their 2-2 draw at Sheffield United.

The Hammers were on course for a win when James Ward-Prowse’s 79th-minute penalty put them 2-1 up, after Ben Brereton Diaz’s debut goal for the hosts had cancelled out Maxwell Cornet’s opener.

But in the eighth minute of time added on, referee Michael Salisbury pointed to the spot after ruling Hammers goalkeeper Alphonse Areola had fouled Oli McBurnie and a further five minutes later, with the injured Areola replaced by Lukasz Fabianski, the Blades striker coolly converted.

Moyes did not directly criticise Salisbury, other than suggesting Areola was the player fouled, but said there is now a level of apathy towards the standard of referees.

“I am certainly not going to talk about any referees, for sure I don’t want to get myself into trouble,” he said.

“You should ask the referee and see what they think, we have got to the stage where we are settling for a level of officiating where we are all shrugging our shoulders and saying, ‘OK’.

“We are shrugging our shoulders again and seeing what they do. We don’t know what they are going to do.”

On whether Areola receiving lengthy treatment and having to be taken off meant he was the one fouled, Moyes added: “Absolutely, he was fouled. I think it was a foul on the goalkeeper.”

Moyes had just as much frustration with his own side, who were not at their best at Bramall Lane.

Cornet’s first Hammers goal at the 31st attempt put them ahead but Brereton Diaz levelled on the stroke of half-time.

Ward-Prowse’s penalty restored West Ham’s lead as the Blades’ Rhian Brewster and West Ham’s Vladimir Coufal were both sent off in added time for separate incidents before the real drama happened.

Blades boss Chris Wilder could not watch McBurnie slot the ball home but was pleased with his side’s staying power.

“I am delighted my team stayed in the game because with 10 men, and them passing it around, it could have gone from two to three,” he said.

“The attitude of the team has helped us stay in the game.

“The goalkeeper comes and makes a rash decision to come through and we get the penalty. I am delighted we got something from the game, that is my overriding emotion.

“I didn’t watch the penalty, I just saw the reaction of the crowd. It is just one of those – I do sometimes watch, not in the 103rd minute.”

Oli McBurnie’s penalty in the 13th minute of time added on snatched Sheffield United a 2-2 draw against West Ham in a dramatic ending at Bramall Lane.

The Hammers looked to have won it when James Ward-Prowse’s 79th-minute spot-kick put them ahead after Maxwell Cornet’s first goal for the club was cancelled out by a debut effort from new Blades recruit Ben Brereton Diaz.

But referee Michael Salisbury ruled West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola had fouled McBurnie in the eighth minute of stoppage time and a further five minutes later, with Areola replaced by Lukasz Fabianski, the Blades striker coolly struck home from 12 yards to earn a point.

Hammers boss David Moyes was raging at the decision as his side dropped two points which would have seen them close the gap on the Premier League’s top four.

It was the culmination of an action-packed end to the game, with Rhian Brewster sent off for Sheffield United and Vladimir Coufal following for West Ham in separate incidents.

A point was celebrated vociferously but Sheffield United need wins as they remain seven points adrift at the foot of the table and no team in Premier League history has survived with so few points at this stage of a season.

Chris Wilder’s men started with bluster but failed to trouble the West Ham goal and the visitors soon began to find holes at the other end.

The Hammers went ahead with their next meaningful attack in the 28th minute.

Ings fed Coufal on the right and then got the ball back when he found a pocket of space on the edge of the area. His shot was blocked by Jack Robinson but it fell perfectly for Cornet to slash home at the far post.

It was a moment to remember for the Ivorian, who finally broke his duck at the 31st attempt.

The Hammers smelled blood and were only denied a second by a brave block from Jayden Bogle to deny Ings.

That proved important as Brereton Diaz got his first Premier League goal to pull the hosts level in the 44th minute.

Aaron Trusty’s hopeful header into the box found Will Osula at the far post and his diving header was palmed away by Areola, straight into the path of the Chile striker, who thrashed home from six yards.

He should have been celebrating a second 12 minutes after the restart but produced a bad miss at a golden moment.

James McAtee set him clear and as he closed in on goal with no one else around him he seemed destined to score, but dragged his shot wastefully wide.

There was a sense that that could be pivotal and so it proved as the visitors were awarded a penalty with 11 minutes of normal time remaining when Gus Hamer tripped Ings.

Ward-Prowse was never going to do anything other than ripple the back of the net as he sent his effort straight down the middle.

The hosts’ chances of getting back into the game appeared to be severely hampered in time added on as Brewster was shown a red card for a tackle on Emerson Palmieri after a VAR check.

But that was just the start of the drama as Coufal picked up his second yellow card in less than four minutes and the foul led to the Blades being awarded a penalty.

They recycled the set-piece, with McAtee curling in an inviting cross which Areola came for but did not get to, instead clattering into McBurnie.

The referee pointed to the spot and after a long delay where Areola went off injured, McBurnie scored from the spot.

David Moyes dismissed the idea of the FA Cup being the best cup competition in the world as “quite ridiculous” following West Ham’s exit at Bristol City.

The Hammers lost their third-round replay 1-0 after Said Benrahma was sent off for reacting foolishly to Joe Williams’ 51st-minute challenge.

VAR was not in operation at Ashton Gate even though it had been used in the original tie at the London Stadium nine days earlier, which finished 1-1.

Although Moyes felt Darren England made the right decision to send off Benrahma, the Scot was unhappy over Williams’ tackle on the Algerian as well as one or two other incidents in the game.

Hammers boss Moyes said: “It’s incredible they call it the best cup competition in the world. Yet one week you have VAR, one week you don’t.

“I find it quite ridiculous they try to claim that, but it’s not level for every club.

“If we’re not having VAR we shouldn’t have it in the tournament at all. If we’re going to have it, then have it everywhere.”

West Ham were trailing to Tommy Conway’s third-minute goal when Benrahma was banished at the start of the second half.

“It made it much more difficult, that’s for sure,” Moyes said about trying to engineer a recovery.

“I’ve had a look at it and I don’t think we can have any complaints. I don’t think his reaction was correct. It was a sending-off.

“I wasn’t sure about the tackle on him. That might have been questionable. I thought in game-time it was a pretty hefty challenge.

“I’m not sure the referee moved in quick enough to deal with the first challenge, which allowed something else to happen. There was one on Danny Ings as well that was not the best either.”

On the defeat, Moyes added: “We should have won the game at London Stadium and done the job better.

“That’s what happens in the cup competitions – if you’re not quite on it, or maybe not at your best, you can find yourself knocked out.”

Bristol City, 14th in the Sky Bet Championship, seized their opportunity against opponents who were without Jarrod Bowen, Lucas Paqueta, Michail Antonio and Mohammed Kudus for various reasons.

Robins boss Liam Manning said: “Across the two legs the performance level was really high.

“We got off to a great start which always helps, but there’s a real danger when you’re one ahead to try and protect that lead.

“But we showed a real bravery to try and play and press. We tried to stay on the front foot and I thought we were excellent.

“I was really proud of the lads because we maintained that level of focus you need against opposition like that.”

Bristol City will be at home to either Blackpool or Nottingham Forest in round four.

Bristol City produced an FA Cup upset as 10-man West Ham were beaten 1-0 in a third-round replay at Ashton Gate.

Tommy Conway’s equaliser at the London Stadium nine days earlier had set up this return tie and the  21-year-old striker was the Robins’ hero again as his early goal proved the difference.

West Ham, sixth in the Premier League, suffered further misery as Said Benrahma was sent off after 51 minutes for reacting stupidly to a strong challenge from Joe Williams.

Bristol City, 14th in the Sky Bet Championship, will again meet top-flight opposition in the fourth round should Nottingham Forest successfully negotiate their replay at Blackpool on Wednesday.

West Ham boss David Moyes was short on attacking options with Jarrod Bowen, Lucas Paqueta and Michail Antonio injured and Ghana’s Mohammed Kudus away at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Danny Ings, strongly linked with a move to Wolves this January, started for the first time since November alongside Benrahma and Maxwel Cornet.

West Ham were down on numbers and three current academy players occupied a bench one short of taking up its full allocation of nine substitutes.

Bristol City began with nine of the side that started the 1-1 draw in East London and Conway was on the scoresheet again inside three minutes after West Ham had wasted a golden opening – Cornet overhitting a pass with Ings clean through.

The action immediately switched to the other end where Konstantinos Mavropanos’ mistake allowed Conway to round Lukasz Fabianski and make light of a tight angle by rolling the ball home.

Anis Mehmeti sent a 20-yard effort over but the Hammers gradually asserted authority with Max O’Leary’s goal coming under increasing threat.

Ings was off target from the edge of the box, Mavropanos failed to connect with James Ward-Prowse’s free-kick when contact would surely have levelled matters and Cornet was denied by a last-gasp Cameron Pring challenge.

Cornet, making only his second start of the season, underlined his rustiness further by miskicking in front of goal, while Pring was vigilant to turn away Ings’ effort close to the line.

Bristol City had defended for most of the half, but the hosts burst into life in the final minute.

Mehmeti’s low effort tested Fabianski at his near post and the veteran goalkeeper was called upon from the resulting corner to gather Ross McCrorie’s header.

Life got a lot more difficult within six minutes of the restart when Benrahma kicked out at Williams after being fouled.

Referee Darren England took his time to decide the punishment as Benrahma received treatment, but the Algerian was eventually banished when back on his feet.

Tempers boiled over again as Taylor Gardner-Hickman and Aaron Cresswell were booked after grappling with each other.

West Ham almost equalised after Ings and Emerson combined and Cornet crossed for Tomas Soucek to force O’Leary into an excellent reflex stop from close range.

Substitute Nakhi Wells nearly doubled Bristol City’s lead, but the Robins held on for a famous victory and home fans celebrated as if they had won the cup itself.

What the papers say

Chelsea will have to pay more than £100million if they want to sign 19-year-old Irish striker Evan Ferguson as Brighton resist letting go of the teenager, the Evening Standard says. Ferguson has signed a deal with Brighton until 2029 after a promising start to his career, including scoring six goals for the club this season.

Everton have slapped a £60million fee on 22-year-old midfielder Amadou Onana, and i sport reports that Arsenal, who are interested in the Belgian, will have to sell a player to afford him.

Fulham, Everton and clubs overseas are said to be interested in Brentford’s 26-year-old midfielder Frank Onyeka, the Guardian reports.

The Times says West Ham are interested in Mexican striker Santiago Gimenez, who Feyenoord value at £30million. The 22-year-old has scored 18 goals in 16 Eredivisie games this season.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Jack Clarke: Football London reports West Ham and Crystal Palace are interested in Sunderland’s 23-year-old forward who is valued at around £20million.

Victor Osimhen: Senior figures at Real Madrid believe the club should sign the 25-year-old Napoli striker instead of Paris St Germain’s Kylian Mbappe, according to Football Transfers.

What the papers say

Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite, 21, has found himself under the scope of Spanish giants Real Madrid, the Daily Mail reports. The England Under-21 international has played 17 games for the Toffees in the Premier League this season.

The Evening Standard says West Ham could make a move for 26-year-old Ajax and  Netherlands forward Steven Bergwijn. The former Tottenham player has scored eight goals in all competitions this year for Ajax.

One player who could be making the opposite journey from England to the Netherlands is Manchester United winger Facundo Pellistri, who has been linked with a loan move to PSV Eindhoven – and LA Galaxy – according to journalist  Fabrizio Romano, cited by Teamtalk.

Social media round-up

Real Madrid ‘to turn to Erling Haaland if they fail in Mbappe transfer but will only have to pay HALF his release fee’https://t.co/1JoTm4tiE4https://t.co/1JoTm4tiE4

— The Sun Football ⚽ (@TheSunFootball) January 8, 2024

Players to watch

Hugo Ekitike: Wolves are reportedly interested in signing the 21-year-old Paris St Germain forward, according to French outlet L’Equipe.

Jonathan David: The 23-year-old Canada forward, currently at Lille in France, has attracted interest from Manchester United and Aston Villa, Football Transfers reports.

David Moyes saw his injury worries mount up as West Ham were held to a 1-1 FA Cup draw by Bristol City.

Lucas Paqueta set up Jarrod Bowen’s goal after just four minutes, but limped off shortly after with a recurrence of a knee injury.

Defender Konstantinos Mavropanos was also forced off with a shoulder problem before half-time.

But most worryingly of all, top-scorer Bowen had to be helped from the pitch after the final whistle having gone down injured in stoppage time.

The injuries may have brought into question Moyes’ decision to play his strongest team against the Championship side.

But the Hammers boss insisted: “I had no intention of doing anything else than making sure we put out as strong a team as we possibly could.

“Injuries are part of football, and unfortunately we picked up a couple today. Losing Lucas was a big turning point in the match.”

The Hammers looked on course for a comfortable afternoon when Bowen brought down Paqueta’s ball over the top and fired them into an early lead.

It proved to be anything but, however, after a second-half equaliser from Tommy Conway secured a replay for the rocking Robins.

West Ham’s squad would have been given a whole a week off had they won this third-round tie, but they will now be dragged back in on Friday as Moyes, who reached Wembley twice as a player with City, prepares for a return to Ashton Gate.

A replay is the last thing Moyes needs as the injuries begin to bite, but he claimed: “I’m looking forward to going back to Bristol, I’ve not been there for a long time, I’m really looking forward to going back to Ashton Gate.

“The amount of games we played this season it would be better if we didn’t have it, but if I was Bristol City I’d be thrilled to have West Ham at Ashton Gate.”

Danny Ings has been linked with a move to Wolves this January having hardly figured this season.

The striker, on as a second-half substitute, missed a late chance when he hit the side-netting.

But Moyes insisted: “Danny was probably the best player when he came on. I’d talk about his performance rather than anything else.”

City boss Liam Manning, a former Hammers Under-23s coach, was delighted with his side’s second-half display.

“The immediate emotion would be pride in terms of the performance level,” he said.

“Going a goal down early can derail you but the response was outstanding.

“For the first 20 or 25 minutes of the second half the performance level was excellent, and the goal was a terrific moment of quality.”

David Moyes faces a trip back to his former club after West Ham were held to a 1-1 FA Cup draw by Bristol City.

The Hammers looked on course for a comfortable afternoon when Jarrod Bowen fired them into an early lead.

It proved to be anything but, however, after a second-half equaliser from Tommy Conway secured a replay for the rocking Robins.

West Ham’s squad would have been given a whole a week off had they won this third-round tie, but they will now be dragged back in on Friday as Moyes, who reached Wembley twice as a player with City, prepares for a return to Ashton Gate.

Almost 9,000 members of City’s cider army – among an impressive 62,500 sell-out – made the trip to the capital, but the raucous bunch who filled the Sir Trevor Brooking stand were silenced after just four minutes.

Lucas Paqueta dropped deep to collect the ball and lifted a delicious pass over the top to Bowen.

The England hopeful still had work to do, controlling the ball before knocking it past the dive of City keeper Max O’Leary and beating covering defender Cameron Pring on the goal-line.

Sadly for West Ham it was Paqueta’s last involvement in the match. The Brazilian playmaker was only just back from a knee injury and seemed to suffer a recurrence.

Teenage striker Divin Mubama was sent on as a replacement for a rare chance to impress.

West Ham almost doubled their lead when Bowen got round the back of the City defence and pulled the ball back, but O’Leary made a superb reaction save to claw out Pablo Fornals’ shot.

O’Leary made another fine stop to prevent an own-goal from Pring, who inadvertently turned Bowen’s cross-shot towards his own net, and then tipped a James Ward-Prowse volley wide.

Moyes was forced into a second substitution after just 38 minutes when Konstantinos Mavropanos was hurt after an aerial challenge with Conway, with veteran defender Angelo Ogbonna sent on.

City, 11th in the Championship and on a run of one defeat in five matches under former Hammers Under-23 coach Liam Manning, threatened sporadically in the first half.

But Sam Bell shot straight at Lukasz Fabianski and Rob Dickie’s header was also too close to the Polish keeper.

City should have drawn level early in the second half when a low cross from captain Jason Knight eluded everyone in the box and fell to Pring, who lashed his shot wide at the far post.

But on the hour mark the away fans behind the goal were delirious when Joe Williams pinged the ball forward.

Ogbonna missed it and Conway raced forward before burying his shot across Fabianski and into the net.

West Ham poured forward in a bid to avoid a replay – and preserve their week off – but Tomas Soucek headed over and substitute Danny Ings hit the sidenetting.

Brendan Rodgers revealed Celtic once came close to signing Declan Rice as he highlighted the precarious nature of January transfer deals.

Rodgers hopes to add to his squad early in the month but added a note of caution in the tale of England midfielder Rice, who moved from West Ham to Arsenal in a £105million deal in the summer.

Rodgers has previously spoken of the need to sign players who can make an instant impact with most of the club’s summer signings still to establish themselves in the team.

The Celtic manager, whose first spell in Glasgow came in 2016-2019, said: “The club will do absolutely everything we can to support what we need and what the team needs.

“There is lots of work going on in the background, and I’m pretty sure that in this early period of the month, we can have some joy and get one or two in. Ideally you’d want to get them in (early).

“Deals can be complicated and things that might have been there for three or four months can fall away. That’s always the challenge – it only takes one injury to (affect) a player who was lined up to come in.

“I remember when I was here the first time, we spent about three months looking for Declan Rice to come in.

“Declan was all set to come in and then all of a sudden they (West Ham) had an injury, he stayed and got in the team and the rest is history. That’s not the club’s fault – it’s just the way it goes.

“We have a number of positions we want to prioritise. There are other positions where we won’t be able to do anything until the summer, I know that. But what I do know is that we want to improve the squad and the club are very happy to support that.”

Rodgers is looking to reduce the size of his squad this month but that process is subject to external influences as well.

“I have regular dialogue with players but still we obviously have to wait and see as well because some players may want to go out but, if we don’t get the players in that we need, then I have to ensure the squad is as strong as it possibly can be for the second part of the season,” he said.

David Moyes was frustrated at not being able to pick Mohammed Kudus for West Ham’s goalless draw against Brighton.

Ghana forward Kudus, arguably West Ham’s best player this season, was unavailable due to his forthcoming participation at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Yet Egypt’s Mohamed Salah was able to play for Liverpool against Newcastle 24 hours earlier, scoring twice in a 4-2 win before the deadline for players to link up with their countries.

In a thinly-disguised dig at the Premier League’s schedulers and the decision to move this match for television a day later, Moyes said: “It feels a bit strange that we’re playing on the second of January.

“Could we not have played on the first and allowed our African players to be allowed to play yesterday, because they can’t play today?

“I feel that’s something which isn’t correct. I just think why couldn’t we have our African players the same as everybody else?

“Brighton might have had players at the Asian Games – I know (Kaoru) Mitoma’s injured I think – but they might have the same feeling.

“It’s nothing to do with the performance, Brighton were without lots of good players and we were without lots of good players.

“But I don’t see at this point why you would play a game and be disadvantaged by some of your players not being able to play. I’m not saying any more.”

The decision to move the match for television looked even more baffling as two weary teams fought out a lifeless goalless draw.

Given that it was West Ham’s ninth game in a month, and Brighton’s eighth, the managers would probably have shaken hands on a draw before kick-off and gone to watch the darts instead.

Tomas Soucek stabbed West Ham’s best chance wide but Brighton were the better side after the break, with Hammers keeper Alphonse Areola making fine saves to deny Danny Welbeck and Adam Lallana.

“Overall we’ve had a brilliant Christmas period on the points front,” added Moyes, whose side began the year inside the top six. “I’m thrilled to win three, including Arsenal and Manchester United, and draw one. From a points point of view we’ve done really well.

“It’s the first time this season we’ve looked really jaded and tired tonight but all the boys have done a brilliant job. Brighton have been our bogey club in recent years and we’ve taken four points off them this season. But I want it to be better and I know it has to get better.”

Seagulls boss Roberto De Zerbi had little doubt what was missing from his side.

“A goal,” was his simple response.

“Today we deserved to win but we played an amazing game, one of the best in my time.

“West Ham are very good in counter-attack and we played a smart game. I can’t say anything about my players because I’m delighted with the performance.

“We have injuries but we have great character and great spirit.”

Weary West Ham and burned-out Brighton served up a lifeless goalless draw to dent both sides’ top-five ambitions.

Two makeshift teams were missing 16 first-team players between them through injury, illness or suspension, and in West Ham’s case also due to the Africa Cup of Nations which has cost them the services of in-form forward Mohammed Kudus for a month.

Given that it was West Ham’s ninth game in a month, and Brighton’s eighth, managers David Moyes and Roberto De Zerbi would probably have shaken hands on a draw before kick-off and gone to watch the darts instead.

As it was, 60,000 people had to battle a storm to get to the London Stadium before sitting through a match played at a snail’s pace.

It was Brighton’s first goalless draw in 48 Premier League games, their last coming against Nottingham Forest in October 2022.

There was at least something to celebrate for midfielder James Milner, whose 632nd Premier League appearance moved him level with former Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs for second on the all-time list.

During an opening half an hour of new year lethargy, West Ham had a half-hearted penalty appeal waved away when Edson Alvarez tripped over Billy Gilmour’s leg. Emerson Palmieri then scuffed a shot wide.

James Ward-Prowse saw a volley well saved by Jason Steele before Jarrod Bowen’s cross was headed over the crossbar by Konstantinos Mavropanos.

Said Benrahma, left out of Algeria’s AFCON squad, was handed a rare chance by Moyes in the absence of Kudus and Lucas Paqueta and the winger made one mazy run inside from the left wing only to curl his shot wide.

West Ham were marginally the more adventurous team but Brighton probably had the best two chances of the first half.

First Ben Johnson was booked for a foul on Facundo Buonanotte 25 yards out and from Pascal Gross’ cross, Alphonse Areola palmed away a far-post Danny Welbeck header and then saved the rebound from Jack Hinshelwood.

Gross then got in between West Ham’s centre-halves but planted his header from Milner’s cross too close to Areola.

After the break Welbeck’s fierce shot forced a fine diving save from Areola with Milner, who turns 38 on Thursday, skying the rebound.

West Ham should have broken the deadlock on the hour when Benrahma’s cross was deflected into the path of Tomas Soucek but the Czech midfielder stabbed his effort wide.

But Brighton finished stronger and Evan Ferguson, on as a substitute, almost had an immediate impact with a low drive which beat the dive of Areola but rolled inches past the far post.

Jakub Moder blazed over from close range and Areola made another decent save to deny Adam Lallana and preserve a point for the hosts.

David Moyes may have had the best year of his managerial career but he has yet to agree a new contract at West Ham.

Moyes led the Hammers to a first trophy in 43 years in June when they won the Europa Conference League, and they ended 2023 lying sixth in the Premier League.

“If I look back on things to win a trophy would mean that I would say ‘yes’, it would have to be my best year,” said the former Everton and Manchester United boss.

“To win a trophy in 2023… you have to say it was difficult for the first part of last season, we couldn’t get a result, we didn’t start well, we had a few new players coming in.

“But once we got to the World Cup, that was my thing. I think we improved in the second half of the season. Somebody said to me it’s been my best start to a season, but I think probably the second half of last season was my best finish because of winning the trophy.”

The Hammers hierarchy are understood to be about to open talks with Moyes about a new contract, with his current deal set to expire this summer.

Asked whether the uncertainty surrounding his future could affect West Ham’s ability to sign players in January, the 60-year-old Scot added: “Yes, of course.

“But I also hope players will also talk about a guy who has managed over 1000 games, and I’m comfortable with it.

“I can go and discuss it tomorrow because I’ve got a great relationship with the board so I can do it at the right time, and there seems to be more talk from other people whereas we’re quite cool about it.”

Moyes will check on the fitness of centre-halves Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd and midfielder Lucas Paqueta ahead of Tuesday night’s visit of Brighton.

Zouma and Aguerd missed Thursday’s 2-0 win at Arsenal while Paqueta limped off with a calf problem.

Jarrod Bowen praised a shift in West Ham’s mindset as they won at Arsenal in the Premier League for the first time since 2015.

The Hammers secured a 2-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium to go four points behind the top four and prevent their hosts moving back to the top of the table.

Bowen capitalised on rocky Arsenal defending to cross for Tomas Soucek to open the scoring, the goal standing after a lengthy VAR check could not conclude if the ball had gone out of play before the England international’s centre.

Former Arsenal defender Konstantinos Mavropanos then headed in his first West Ham goal to seal the three points – with David Moyes’ side now having beaten Tottenham, Manchester United and Arsenal this month.

While those victories have been tinged with setbacks – a 5-0 league thrashing at Fulham and a meek Carabao Cup exit at Liverpool – Bowen feels building on Saturday’s win over United with another three points against a title challenger shows progress.

“It’s a massive win,” Bowen told the club’s official website.

“We knew it was going to be difficult as these are top side, but we managed to build on what we did against Manchester United.

“I think, for us, we haven’t been consistent enough. We might have won one game and then the Fulham game springs to mind when we conceded five, and if we want to be spoken about to go to the top six and finishing higher in the division then we need to be consistent.

“Like I say, this was a hard game, but I said after the Man United game that we needed to come here with a mindset to take points and we’ve done that.

“It’s those consistency levels…We play Brighton in a few days (Tuesday) and we have to go there and win that as well.”

Things could have been even better for West Ham had Said Benrahma’s stoppage-time penalty not been saved by David Raya – but for Arsenal it was a night to forget.

Mikel Arteta’s men had 30 attempts on goal but could not trouble the scorers as they failed to produce the win required to usurp Liverpool at the summit.

“I think we created more than enough to score goals to win the game,” said captain Martin Odegaard.

“It was the little details and the little last pass or the finish that was missing. We have to learn from it and make sure we get sharper and better in front of the goals.

“The goals we conceded were too easy, so definitely in front of the goals, inside the boxes, that’s where the games are decided. We weren’t good enough.”

Mikel Arteta admitted his side came up short in both boxes as Arsenal slumped to defeat to West Ham to miss out on regaining top spot in the Premier League.

The Gunners remain behind Liverpool as they lost 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium on what Arteta conceded was one of the most frustrating nights of his four-year tenure as Arsenal boss.

Tomas Soucek’s opener – awarded after the VAR could not determine whether the whole ball had gone out of play in the build up – and a second-half header from former Arsenal defender Konstantinos Mavropanos earned the visitors a deserved win.

Things could have been even better had Said Benrahma not had a stoppage-time penalty saved by David Raya on a night where Arteta applauded the performances of the opposition.

“I congratulate West Ham and praise my players. That’s what I can tell you,” he said.

“This is football. When you look at how much we generated in the game, to see the result is very disappointing. But they were better than us in both boxes. They had two shots, with the penalty three. We had 30.

“If we don’t score with 30 shots, then we have to do 50 or 60 to try to score. That’s the only thing. I can’t imagine a game where we have more touches in the box, more dominance and less situations for the opponent against a really good West Ham side. Today though, it wasn’t enough to win the game.”

Asked if it was among the most frustrating nights of his managerial career, Arteta replied: “It is. But it’s football. Normally when the team generates so much it’s going to win games.

“That’s the way we’ve done it. Against Brighton, we generated so much and against Liverpool as well, but we score goals in different ways.

“We have to make another step in that area to win games more comfortably, that’s for sure, because today the team deserves to win the game. There’s no question about that.”

Arteta successfully fought a Football Association charge after he criticised the officiating and VAR in defeat at Newcastle last month and was less vocal this time.

He did, however, suggest technology needs to be further advanced to make close calls, adding: “They’re saying it’s not conclusive. It’s a shame that with the technology that we have, that it’s not that clear so that we can say whether it’s out or in. It’s done. It’s gone. There’s nothing we can do about it now.

“If the technology we have at the moment is not good enough to give us that answer, what we have to do is without that win the game. With the number of situations we generated in the game, that should have been more than enough.”

For West Ham and manager David Moyes, this was a rare taste of victory at the Emirates Stadium – Moyes had failed to secure victory in his previous 72 Premier League away games at Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool or Manchester United.

West Ham were 17th at the turn of the year but went on to win the Europa Conference League and now sit just four points off the top four after this hard-fought and deserved win.

Moyes is out of contract in the summer but, on the four-year anniversary of his reappointment as West Ham boss, feels a new deal will soon be ironed out.

“We’re getting ready to talk,” he told Amazon Prime.

“I don’t think any of us are jumping to get it done too quickly, I think we are just happy to make sure we get it done. We will do, I don’t see any problems with that at all.

“We are not one of the top teams. We are trying to get up and grow the team. For West Ham to be in Europe is a great period.”

Arsenal missed the chance to return to the top of the Premier League as they slipped to a disappointing defeat to West Ham amid more VAR controversy.

The Gunners needed victory to replace Liverpool at the summit but lost 2-0 on a night where Hammers boss David Moyes finally landed a victory at the Emirates Stadium.

West Ham lost Kurt Zouma ahead of the game and Lucas Paqueta after just over half an hour but hit the front through Tomas Soucek’s strike, awarded after VAR could not determine whether the whole ball had gone out of play in the build-up.

A second-half header from former Arsenal defender Konstantinos Mavropanos secured the points and things could have been even better for the visitors had Said Benrahma not seen a last-gasp penalty saved by David Raya.

Moyes had failed to secure victory in his previous 72 Premier League away games at Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool or Manchester United, so this was a long time coming for the Scot.

Arsenal laboured when they needed to continue their recent winning run in London derbies to go back to the top of the table.

Instead, only captain Martin Odegaard could hold his head high on a night where their defence creaked and Gabriel Jesus was guilty of missing a couple of very good chances.

Arsenal started well, with some great touches in and around the West Ham box from Odegaard in particular.

But at the other end their defending left a lot to be desired, as Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Magalhaes failed to deal with a simple ball into the middle.

Jarrod Bowen capitalised by latching onto the miscue and teed up Soucek to finish – the goal surviving a lengthy VAR check which could not ultimately make a call on if the ball had not gone out of play before Bowen’s cutback.

Arsenal looked to respond although the goal gave West Ham something to defend, although Jesus found a way in behind with a subtle flick into Bukayo Saka, whose header was brilliantly saved by Alphonse Areola.

Paqueta had been hurt in the warm-up and lasted just over half an hour, with his fellow Brazilian Gabriel Martinelli curling an effort just wide for Arsenal as they continued in vain to find a leveller.

The hosts were getting closer, West Ham gifting possession as two passes saw Arsenal in on goal once more, this time Saka hitting the base of the post from an acute angle.

Former West Ham captain Declan Rice fired just over from 25 yards but it was another player coming back to haunt his former club who would find the back of the net soon after.

Mavropanos made just seven league starts in three years as an Arsenal player but returned to the Premier League last summer with the Hammers and headed them two goals ahead before the hour.

Jesus then headed straight at Areola before sending another fine chance well over the bar moments after Arteta introduced Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson off the bench.

Areola was on hand again to keep out a Leandro Trossard effort, with Vladimir Coufal clearing a William Saliba header off the line from the resulting corner.

Rice had come off the bench during a 3-0 Carabao Cup defeat on his return to West Ham earlier in the season and endured another night to forget here as he conceded a late penalty for tripping Emerson Palmieri in the box – only for Raya to keep out substitute Benrahma’s tame spot-kick.