Arsenal Vs West Ham: 5 things we learned – Gabriel Martinelli, superstar

1. This is the Nicolas Pepe

Finally. A club-record signing is meant to produce match-winning moments. Thus far, Nicolas Pepe had only done so on one occasion, two brilliant freekicks to rescue a victory against Vitoria SC. This was the second match that he inspired the win, and this time, he did it open play.

His goal was the quintessential inverted winger strike: standing up the defender on the edge of the area, shifting the ball quickly inside onto his stronger left foot, and then whipping a vicious, curling shot into the far corner past a stranded goalkeeper. Just brilliant. He then followed that up with a lovely assist, clipping a cross over the top of the West Ham defence that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang volleyed home for his customary strike.

Pepe’s overall play was also much improved. He was Arsenal’s most dangerous player in the first half — at the 40-minute mark, he was the only player to have completed a dribble, and he had done so twice — and looked the most likely to make something happen. But then, unlike in other appearances, he actually did make something happen.

This is the Nicolas Pepe that Arsenal thought they were signing in the summer. Long may it continue.