Arsenal held off a second-half comeback from West Ham United to claim a 2-1 victory at Upton Park and keep their top-four hopes alive in the Premier League.
The Gunners scored two goals in a little over two minutes at the end of the first half to take control of the game, with Santi Cazorla converting from the spot after being brought down, before Danny Welbeck tapped home his side's second.
Chieckhou Kouyate pulled a goal back for the Hammers less than 10 minutes after the restart with a header which deflected beyond Wojciech Szczesny and into the back of the net.
Despite pressing for an equaliser, the hosts were unable to find a way through as Arsenal held out to take all three points.
Relive Sports Mole's live text coverage of a thrilling London derby below.
Well that's all from me in terms of live text commentary, but be sure to stick around as we bring you player ratings and analysis in due course from a thrilling 90 minutes of action at Upton Park.
The Hammers had their chances to level things up, while the visitors probably should have wrapped things up ahead of a nervy final few minutes. In the end, though, Wenger's charges did what was needed to end the year on a high by collecting their ninth-straight victory against United.
Arsenal have held on to secure three vital points in their search for a top-four spot. The damage was done in the first half with two late goals before the interval, but West Ham gave them a real scare in the second half when they pulled a goal back through Kouyate.
CLOSE! West Ham come within inches of snatching a point at the very death. Szczesny couldn't handle a cross into the box, and Valencia was at the back post waiting to nod home, but he could not keep his effort down.
...and once again Arsenal clear. What a game this has been. It's a shame that we have just one more minute to play at Upton Park, as Coquelin picks up a late yellow.
PENALTY SHOUT! Amalfitano goes down inside the area under a challenge from Alexis. No pen given, but West Ham have won a corner. Adrian has come up once more...
The Gunners survive the scare by clearing the corner and then winning a free kick. Three minutes to go!
SAVE! Nolan fires away a shot from around 20 yards which Szczensy does well to handle down the middle. That was a decent attempt from the midfielder, as the fourth official indicates an additional five minutes of added on time.
ARSENAL SUB: Calum Chambers is brought on by Wenger in place of Oxlade-Chamberlain as Arsenal look to add some additional defensive steel late on.
YELLOW CARD! Reid is the latest player to enter the referee's book for bringing down Sanchez, before Oxlade-Chamberlain tried his luck once more with a shot which flew over the bar.
CHANCE! The chances keep on coming for Arsenal on the break, with the latest being put wide by Oxlade-Chamberlain. He looked tired after bursting the length of the field, and it told in his poor effort.
YELLOW CARD! Tomkins halts the run of Cazorla to earn a yellow card which will see him miss the Hammers' clash against West Bromwich Albion on New Year's Day.
Arsenal have looked to more likely side to score over the last 15 minutes or so, but there is no denying that the Hammers too look dangerous in attack. The visitors are still getting bodies forward, though, rather than sitting back.
SAVE! If the hosts are to take anything away from this game, they have Adrian to thank. He has produced anther solid save, this time to deny Cazorla's shot, while the Spaniard's follow up effort was fired high over the target.
WEST HAM SUBS: Nolan and Demel have been introduced in place of Kouyate and O'Brien as we approach the final 10 minutes. Time for a late twist?
CHANCE! What a huge opportunity for Arsenal to wrap up the points at Upton Park. Downing's sloppy pass allowed Welbeck to pick up the ball and burst into the opposition box, although he blasted high over the bar when in on goal. He was put under some pressure by a covering defender, but he really should have been hitting the target from there at the very least.
SAVE! It's yet another fine stop from Adrian who this time keep out Alexis's shot at the near post. The Gunners have looked the side more likely to score over the past five minutes, but they can't find a way through.
SAVE! Arsenal just can't find a way past Adrian in this second half, as the Irons stopper produces another fine reaction save to thwart Chamberlain's effort at the end of Alexis's cross.
UPDATE! Incidentally, the earlier kickoff between Southampton and Chelsea ended all square at 1-1. That means Arsenal move level on points with the Saints in fourth place as things stand, while West Ham drop to sixth.
SHOT! Arsenal living dangerously now as Carroll's knockdown is latched onto by Amalfitano, who fired over the bar from range. West Ham really upping the ante in search of an equaliser. This is a real test of the Gunners' mental strength.
Alexis and Cazorla combine well as Arsenal push forward, but Reid was able to block away the latter's shot. We're in for a real entertaining final 20 minutes in the East End of London.
SHOT! Arsenal continue to theme of hitting West Ham on the break with a classic counter from Welbeck. He charged forward with the ball at his feet from inside his own half, before firing a shot right across goal from inside the opposition box.
Finally a chance for a breather over the last couple of minutes, because this second half has been frantic to say the least. West Ham have dominated the chances, although Arsenal still have a one-goal lead heading into the final 25 minutes.
WEST HAM UNITED SUB: Allardyce has rolled the dice for the first time, introducing Valencia in place of Sakho.
A fourth goal in this game is surely just a few moments away! Carroll's fine cross from the left is almost met by the head of Sakho, although Mertesacker was on hand to clear away.
It's West Ham's turn to press now in this thrilling contest, as Cresswell controls Downing's pass before picking out Kouyate, whose cross is just inches away from Sakho.
Debuchy could have done better when defending West Ham's goal but he very nearly made amends here, heading Cazorla's near-post corner narrowly over the bar. Brilliant end-to-end game, this.
SAVE! Well having worked so hard to get themselves back into the game, West Ham almost found themselves two goals behind once more. Cazorla managed to get a powerful shot in at goal, which Adrian did superbly to parry away.
Game on at Upton Park, as Kouyate heads home his first Hammers goal. The goal came about after an Arsenal attack died down, with Debuchy unable to pick out a teammate with his cross which was easily handled by Adrian. West Ham then countered and won themselves a corner, which Arsenal never really recovered from. Tomkins remained up the field and provided a brilliant lofted cross for his teammate to latch onto, with a deflection taking it beyond Szczesny.
O'Brien and Amalifitano get into a bit of a misunderstanding as another West Ham break dies down. They have lost their way a little following Arsenal's late double at the end of the first half. The key now is to remain patient and grab a route back into this game - plenty of time remaining.
SHOT! Debuchy tries his luck from 30 yards with a shot that bounces right in front of Adrian, but the Spaniard was able to comfortably collect in the end.
Arsenal make a brighter start to the second half as they get bodies forward. Welbeck picked up the ball on the left but his layoff to a teammate was actually intercepted by the referee.
SECOND HALF UNDERWAY! Arsenal get things back underway at Upton Park. West Ham had the better of the chances in the opening 45 minutes, but they find themselves two goals behind heading into this second half. Can they find a route back into the game?
So it's West Ham with it all to do heading into the second half, then, and here's a quick reminder of the options they have available should Allardyce opt to change things around slightly.
WEST HAM UNITED SUBS: Jaaskelainen, Nolan, Noble, Collins, Demel, Cole, Valencia
ARSENAL SUBS: Ospina, Gibbs, Chambers, Campbell, Walcott, Podolski, Akpom
Home supporters were not happy with the decision, but I believe that Neil Swarbrick got it spot on. Tomkins got into a bit of a mess do to an unlucky deflection, and it was his trailing leg which caught Cazorla inside the box. The official also got Song's early offside 'goal' correct, too, although United can consider themselves hard done by because those strikes are so often given.
The game had certainly been entertaining heading into the final five minutes, with neither side able to take a further step up in quality to make the breakthrough. James Tomkins squandered a glorious chance from seven yards out when he blasted a volley over the bar while in acres of space, and then came Arsenal's late salvo.
Referee Neil Swarbrick brings a fascinating opening 45 minutes to a close, as a late rally from the visitors sees them head into the interval with a two-goal advantage. Santi Cazorla opened up the scoring from the penalty spot after being brought down by Winston Reid, before Danny Welbeck added a second two minutes later from close range.
CLOSE! It should be 3-0 to Arsenal! Alexis works some space inside the area, only to see his effort deflected behind from close range. You would have backed him to find the net from there, but it wasn't to be for the in-form attacker.
CHANCE! Great opportunity for Downing to pull one back for his side, but he blasts wide from the edge of the box. The ball fell perfectly to him following a pull-back from the right, although he could not add to his goal tally for the season. What an end to the half!
Two goals in two minutes has seen Arsenal take control of this game on the brink of half time. It was a decent team goal, too, as Oxlade-Chamberlain used his power to burst to the byline, before pulling the ball across goal from Welbeck to tap home. The Englishman has been fielded in his more favoured central position this afternoon, and he has proved that he can be deadly up top.
Cazorla sends his countryman the wrong way to give Arsenal a vital lead heading into half time. Reid remains on the field despite giving away the penalty, with a covering defender alongside him saving the centre-back from seeing a red card.
West Ham get into a bit of a panic at the back, which forces Reid to bring down Cazorla with his leg. The home fans are not happy, but that looked to be the correct call for me.
CHANCE! The best chance of the game so far falls to the feet of James Tomkins, who fails to find the target with his volley from around seven yards out. Downing chipped a brilliant ball into the path of his teammate who remained in an onside position, but he could not keep his effort down.
YELLOW CARD! Andy Carroll is shown the game's first yellow card for catching Debuchy in the face with his elbow. That looked to be a poor call from the official, not helped by the over the top reaction from the Arsenal full-back.
Alexis comes close to picking out Oxlade-Chamerlain and Koscielny in two separate Arsenal attacks. There's 10 minutes to go until the break, and at the moment it's tough the call this one.
West Ham having a fair bit of joy down their right at the moment, as they look to target Monreal. Amalifitano's cross was poor in the end, though, with the ball drifting over the crossbar.
Arsenal break right up the other end having successfully defended a corner to win one of their own. Alexis led to charge, but his set piece came to nothing in the end.
Amalifitano makes easy work of Monreal down the West Ham right, before driving into the box and seeing his shot blocked behind by Koscielny once more. He probably should have done better there.
We have a balanced contest on our hands in East London now, with both sides just matching each other up all over the field. Alexis almost caught Adrian out when he chased down a punt up the field, but the Irons stopper just about managed to miss the Chilean with his hoof.
Arsenal work the ball into the feet of Cazorla inside the opposition area, and he is given a fair bit of space to initially get a shot away. His low, rifled effort was well blocked away by Cresswell in the end, though. That came just moments after Alexis saw an attempt of his own loop over the bar via a deflection, as the visitors up the ante.
Arsenal only manage to half clear a corner as far as Reid, who fires a shot wide of goal from around 18 yards out. Halfway through the first half and it is the hosts who have looked to better side.
CLOSE! Carroll is the latest Hammers play to come close to finding the opener, taking the ball down on his chest before rifling the ball across the face of goal, but the returning Koscielny was hand hand to block away.
SHOT! Kouyate does well to intercept the ball in the middle of the park before getting a shot away at goal. It wasn't the best attempt in the end, though, with Szczesny collecting the ball when other options were available on either side.
Some good play from West Ham from the back leads to Cresswell swinging a ball in from the left, although it was a little too close to Szczesny in the end. Amalifitano was the man closest to the ball, but it was just a little too far out of his reach.
Cazorla is given a chance to make his first impression on the game as he swings a set piece into the box, but the hosts do well to clear it away.
Arsenal have grown into the game a little more in the past few minutes in what has been a fast-paced start to the game. There has been little chances thus far, other than that superb volley from Song which ended up in the back of the net only to be ruled out. The Cameroonian has had a couple of sloppy moments since then, perhaps trying a little too hard to make something happen.
It's all West Ham at the moment. Sakho goes down in the box under a challenge from Mathieu Debuchy, yet nothing is given. Up the other end Arsenal managed to break forward through Alexis, but O'Brien produced a great tackle to end the move.
The rules of the game suggest that the officials got that one spot on, but how often do you see those goals given?! It was a great strike by Song, who has not taken long to make his mark on the game.
GOAL RULED OUT! Well we almost had the story of the day sorted at Upton Park with Alex Song finding the net with a brilliant volley from long range against his former side, although referee Neil Swarbrick has ruled it out. The reason it was not given is because there was a few home players deemed to be in an offside position restricting Sczcesny's view
Some sloppy play by Monreal sees West Ham win a corner from nothing. Song got his cross wrong, but instead of letting the ball roll out of play the makeshift full-back cleared it behind. A lack of communication there, although there was no harm done in the end.
West Ham have had the better of the early exchanges as they look to break down Arsenal's defence, but the Gunners have remained strong at the back thus far.
KICKOFF! West Ham get proceedings underway in the East End, getting an early cross into the box which is well collected by Szczesny.
Incidentally, Alex Song captains the Hammers this afternoon against his former side. He has been an inspired loan signing who Arsenal apparently rejected the chance to take back in the summer. Speaking of impressive summer captures, Alexis Sanchez has scored or assisted half of his side's 32 Premier League goals this season - will that run continue today? Let's find out...
Well the sides are now out onto the pitch as kickoff draws ever closer. This has all the hallmarks of a real classic at Upton Park as two sides battling it out for a place in the Champions League qualification spots do battle. West Ham have made this arena a real fortress in recent months, and despite being brushed aside by Chelsea a couple of days ago, they will come into this one high in confidence.
Just a quick reminder of what else is happening elsewhere on this bumper day of football. Tottenham have already played out a goalless draw against Man Utd, while another side with real top-four ambitions in Southampton are currently leading league leaders Chelsea. Updates from that game will be provided throughout, although all attention now turns to Arsenal's trip to face West Ham, which is now just five minutes away.
PREDICTION: Despite Arsenal's recent dominance in this fixture, West Ham appear to be a different beast entirely this term. In fact, as we head into the final fixtures of 2014, it is the Hammers who sit higher in the table following an impressive campaign to date. The Gunners have managed to steady the ship somewhat following a poor start to the season, but a trip to Upton Park - a real fortress in recent months - may prove a step too far. I'll go with a 1-1 draw.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS: The Gunners have certainly had the better of this fixture in recent years having won each of the last eight meetings in all competitions. They have also managed to score at least three goals in the last five contests between the pair. Will that impressive run continue here today?
DID YOU KNOW? Arsenal have conceded five goals in their last two away games combined, with all but one of those arriving before half time. The Gunners have been deadly up the other end, however, scoring in 10 of their last 11 games on the road.
While they hardly impressed in recent games against Liverpool and Queens Park Rangers, they managed to take four points from those two fixtures which is a decent enough return. Far more is needed if they are to push on both domestically and in Europe, however, starting with this tough trip to Upton Park this afternoon. The 3-2 loss at Stoke City earlier this month was a real low point, but the Gunners can end the year on a little high at least if they see off the Irons here today.
The Frenchman has come under real pressure this season, perhaps more so than at any other time during his near two decades in charge of the North London outfit, but he has just about managed to get through the worst of supporter unrest to take his side within two points of Southampton who occupy the final Champions League qualification berth. The lack of consistency remains a real worry, though, with Arsenal having failed to win three games on the bounce all season in the Premier League.
In terms of today's visitors, Arsenal supporters can perhaps be forgiven for feeling it is a case of 'same old' this term with the Premier League title already out of sight. They have recovered from their worst start to a campaign under Wenger to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League, while also keeping alive their top-four ambitions.
West Ham have a nice run of fixtures to come in January, but it is these games against fellow European contenders that will act as a true acid test of their top-four credentials. Allardyce has already said he is willing to wait until February before setting any targets, yet you can forgive supporters for perhaps getting a little carried away at this stage.
Allardyce opted to rest two of his key players in Song and Sakho against Chelsea last time out, which perhaps tells just how important he sees this second London derby clash in the space of two days. Beating the league leaders on their own patch was always going to be tough, and their performance merited a little more than a two-goal loss, although an inconsistent Gunners side are certainly beatable in the eyes of the Hammers boss.
One of the key aspects of United's impressive showing to date has been their ability to pick up wins on their home turf. Six wins from their last seven at Upton Park has seen them continuously prove the doubter wrongs to maintain their high standing in the league table. Having not lost in from of their own supporters since August, you get the impression that Arsenal are in for one of their toughest shifts of the season this afternoon.
Well the halfway point of the season provides us with the perfect opportunity to sum up both sides' seasons to date. Having come under intense pressure throughout last season, credit must go to Allardyce for the way in which he has turned around West Ham's fortunes. They sit in fifth place at the turn of the year, knowing that a place in Europe next season is a real possibility if they can match their form from the first half of the campaign over the next four months or so.
West Ham have Enner Valencia among their subs for this one, while Carlton Cole will also be keen to make an impression if he is called upon at Upton Park. As already mentioned, Collins drops out of the side following the return of Tomkins in central defence, while Guy Demel is also among the matchday 18.
Unsurprisingly, Lukas Podolski has to make do with a place among the Arsenal substitutes this afternoon as reports of him leaving the Emirates in January intensifies. It's a similar story for fellow attacker Joel Campbell who is among the backups, while Calum Chambers and Kieran Gibbs provide defensive cover for the visitors.
BENCH WATCH!
WEST HAM UNITED SUBS: Jaaskelainen, Nolan, Noble, Collins, Demel, Cole, Valencia
ARSENAL SUBS: Ospina, Gibbs, Chambers, Campbell, Walcott, Podolski, Akpom
The Frenchman's return means that Arsene Wenger has been forced to change things up slightly, with Nacho Monreal shifting into a left-back position in place of Kieran Gibbs who drops to the bench. Tomas Rosicky also misses out despite his goal against Queens Park Rangers on Friday night, while Olivier Giroud's red card in that fixture sees Danny Welbeck fielded in a more central attacking role.
In terms of today's visitors, it's just the three changes to the starting lineup as Laurent Koscielny, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Francis Coquelin all return. The latter is making his first start in just under two years for the club, while it is the inclusion of Koscielny in the heart of defence which will excite supporters most.
Joey O'Brien and Morgan Amalfitano are also welcomed back into the fold for today's match, with James Collins, Kevin Nolan, Mark Noble and Enner Valencia all dropping down to the bench. It is all about rotation at this time of the year with the fixtures coming thick and fast, and Allardyce now has some quality in depth to call upon. Carl Jenkinson is unable to play against his parent club, meanwhile, being made to watch this one from the stands as an interested spectator.
So as expected Sam Allardyce has opted to ring the changes to his Hammers side, making five alterations in all. James Tomkins has recovered from a hamstring injury which has seen him spend time on the sidelines, while Diafra Sakho and former Arsenal man Alex Song are both recalled to the starting XI having been rotated out of the side less than 48 hours ago against Chelsea.
TEAM NEWS!
WEST HAM UNITED STARTING XI: Adrian, Reid, Cresswell, Tomkins, Kouyate, Carroll, Downing, Sakho, O'Brien, Amalfitano, Song
ARSENAL STARTING XI: Szczesny, Debuchy, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Flamini, Coquelin, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Cazorla, Alexis, Welbeck
That means of course that, with Southampton taking on Chelsea at St Mary's, the winner of today's match at Upton Park will more than likely climb into the top four come 5pm this evening. The incentive is certainly there, and with that let's take a look at some team news.
Before we take a look at how both sides line up, there's news of a result to bring you from today's early kickoff in the Premier League. Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, much like Arsenal and West Ham, have hopes of finishing in the top four this season, and they have played out a goalless draw at White Hart Lane. A full match report from that clash can by found right here.
We have now reached the halfway stage of the top-flight season, and as we see out 2014 it is the Hammers who find themselves higher in the standings coming into this London derby. Both sides are looking to end the year on a high by claiming three more points this afternoon to strengthen their respective European targets, while it is the visitors who boast an impressive record in this fixture in recent years having won each of the last eight meetings.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Premier League meeting between West Ham United and Arsenal at Upton Park.
