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LONDON -- With eight minutes of normal time left on Saturday, West Ham United replaced matchwinner Jarrod Bowen with Evan Ferguson, a striker they signed on loan earlier this month.

If you didn't know better, it almost felt like a move to mock Arsenal.

Havertz has a much greater pedigree as a forward, and in any case, his transition to leading Arsenal's attack came organically over a period of time when the team was playing well, not as a stop-gap in their hour of need.

Arteta claimed on Friday that Arsenal had been "re-energised" by the way they rallied together following confirmation Havertz would miss the rest of the season with a hamstring injury.

"I hope we are very much because we didn't hit the levels today and I am very much responsible for that so I am very, very angry."

The Gunners had some zip in the play for the opening 15 minutes or so, trying to angle balls to Merino, which, on two occasions, they managed effectively.

Creativity certainly was.

With Saturday's defeat at home to West Ham, Arsenal's Premier League title hopes look fainter than ever. IAN KINGTON/IKIMAGES/AFP via Getty Images

Martin Ødegaard lacked his usual guile, Leandro Trossard made too many wrong decisions and Ethan Nwaneri was subdued.

"And that was nowhere near the levels that we have to hit to have the opportunity to win a Premier League.

This was only Arsenal's first league home defeat in 10 months and Liverpool have a tricky week ahead with City away before a trip to Newcastle United, where Arsenal have already lost twice this season.

Increasingly, though, the Gunners don't look in a position to capitalise on any mistakes with Havertz and Gabriel Jesus ruled out for the season, while Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli are both several weeks away from a return.

Arsenal made a judgement call not to pursue a January move for Ollie Watkins more aggressively as their £40 million bid was rejected, falling short of Aston Villa's £60m demand to sanction the England striker's transfer
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