Shearer reacts after what Lineker said about West Ham on MOTD – ‘Sensational’
West Ham secured a win against Arsenal on Saturday which caught the eye of Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer.
The Hammers went away to the Emirates on 22 February and came away with all three points thanks to a Jarrod Bowen header.
Things were made easier when Myles Lewis Skelly was sent off for a challenge on Mohammed Kudus, deemed to be the denial of a goal-scoring opportunity by VAR.
With that being said, there was still plenty to appreciate about the Irons’ performance which ultimately deserved to take the victory.
Shearer and Lineker blown away by West Ham v Arsenal
There was so much good about Graham Potter and his side at the Emirates in forward areas but there was also plenty to enjoy about the defensive showing.
This saw Aaron Cresswell get his flowers for an excellent performance as a makeshift centre-back with the rest of the defensive line also performing at a top level.
The away side completely outperformed Mikel Arteta’s men defensively, a factor which played a key role in securing the positive result.
| Stat | West Ham | Arsenal |
| Interceptions | 14 | 14 |
| Blocks | 10 | 0 |
| Clearances | 44 | 6 |
| Duels won | 53 | 50 |
This wasn’t wasted on Lineker who suggested that the Gunners weren’t at their best but was full of praise for the Hammers on Match of the Day (22 February).
He said: “Certainly not Arsenal’s best day but we must give West Ham credit, they were outstanding.”
This point was echoed by Shearer who added: “They were absolutely sensational West Ham, from start to finish.
“Everything they did, they were disciplined, they were organised, both defensively and going forward. Every single player put a shift in.”
West Ham shine in all-action performance v Arsenal
There is plenty of positive points about the away side’s performance at the Emirates which made the result all the more enjoyable for the travelling fans.
There were so many excellent showings with Bowen and Aaron Wan-Bissaka catching the eye, particularly going forward in North London.
The Hammers faithful will certainly be glad to hear Lineker and Shearer gushing over their side, rather than putting it down to the Gunners’ frailties.
It would be easy for the duo to put the blame on VAR after Lewis Skelly was sent off for Arsenal by Craig Pawson despite initially being shown a yellow card.
They didn’t do this and gave the Irons all the credit they deserved for what was a near-perfect performance away from home against a potential title challenger.