Arsenal lost at home for the first time since May as a 2-0 defeat to West Ham cost Mikel Arteta’s team the chance to return to the top of the Premier League.

Goals by Tomas Soucek in the 13th minute and former Arsenal player Konstantinos Mavropanos in the 55th — combined with a stout defensive display — gave West Ham a surprising win at Emirates Stadium and continued a midseason blip by the Gunners.

That’s just one win in its last four league matches for Arsenal, which were in first place for Christmas and need to beat Fulham away on Sunday to be in that position heading into 2024.

Arsenal are currently in second place and two points behind Liverpool, which won't play again until New Year's Day.

It could have been an even bigger win for West Ham but Said Benrahma had a penalty saved by Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya in the sixth minute of stoppage time.

There was some controversy over the first goal, with cameras not showing definitively if the ball was out of play when Jarrod Bowen turned it back into the area for Soucek to force home.

Bowen’s leg blocked the best sight of whether any of the ball was in play and the referee stayed with the onfield decision of giving the goal.

A similar situation occurred with Arsenal at Newcastle, which scored the only goal of their game at St. James’ Park on November 4 amid debate over whether the ball was in play as a cross came in for Anthony Gordon’s strike.

West Ham lost Lucas Paqueta to an apparent left hamstring injury just after the half-hour mark — the Brazilian had been a doubt at the start of the game — but losing one of their key players didn’t put the visitors out of their stride.

Elsewhere, Tottenham, this season's early pacesetters, remain in fifth spot after losing 4-2 despite threatening an astonishing comeback from 4-0 down against Roberto De Zerbi's Brighton.

Spurs, on a run of three straight league wins, looked sharp from the kick-off, putting Brighton under immediate pressure but the home side settled quickly and started stroking the ball around.

Brighton were ahead minutes later when Jack Hinshelwood finished with brutal power following a weaving run from Joao Pedro along the edge of the penalty area.

The home side doubled their lead from the penalty spot in the 23rd minute through Pedro, who took full advantage after Dejan Kulusevski was penalised for a pull on Welbeck.

Pervis Estupinan stretched the lead with a thunderbolt from 30 yards in the 63rd minute and Pedro scored a second penalty in the 75th minute.

Alejo Veliz grabbed what appeared to be a consolation goal in the 81st minute but it galvanised the visitors. (AP, AFP)