Arsenal hold Liverpool to seal top spot at Christmas

Mikel Arteta's Arsenal took an early lead through Gabriel Magalhaes, but Mohamed Salah hauled Liverpool level before the interval.

A draw was arguably the right result after both sides flexed their muscles to show why they have emerged as the leading contenders to win the title.

Chasing a first title since 2004, Arsenal sit one point clear of second placed Liverpool heading into the festive period.

The team that has topped the Premier League at Christmas has gone on to win the title in six of the past 10 seasons, but the draw on Merseyside was also a boost to the chasing pack.

Third placed Aston Villa are level on points with Liverpool, fourth placed Tottenham are three points further back, while champions Manchester City are six points adrift of the leaders with a game in hand.

Liverpool are unbeaten in their past 11 games against Arsenal at Anfield.

However, coming a week after their goalless stalemate against Manchester United, this was another frustrating result for Jurgen Klopp's team.

At the London Stadium, Ten Hag's United side were blown away by late West Ham strikes from Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus, condemning the visitors to an eighth Premier League loss already this season.

United, languishing in eighth place, have managed just one win in their last seven games in all competitions.

They have lost three of their last four matches and failed to score in any of them for the first time since 1992.

It has been a wretched second season for Ten Hag, whose team have been eliminated from Europe after finishing bottom of their Champions League group, while also crashing out of the League Cup.

United have lost 13 games in all competitions this season -- their most defeats before Christmas since 1930-31 when they finished bottom of the table.

"In this moment we are underperforming," Ten Hag said. "We have to be calm, stick together, stick to the plan, we have to do it together."