English Premier League: Mesut Ozil fires Gunners

London: Arsenal's title challenge is back on track following a 2-0 victory over Bournemouth on Monday which sent them to the top of the Premier League and saw goalkeeper Petr Cech set a new clean-sheet record.

Goals from Gabriel and Mesut Ozil, who was again Arsenal’s key performer, were enough for the Gunners to settle a few nerves following a shock 0-4 defeat at Southampton two days earlier.

The victory also marked an important landmark for Cech who kept his 170th clean sheet in the Premier League — most of them in Chelsea colours — to overtake the previous mark set by David James.

The result leaves Arsenal one point clear at the top of the table — and goes some way to answering criticism that Arsene Wenger’s side were starting to buckle under the pressure of trying to win the title for the first time since 2004.

West Ham are up to seventh after battling back to defeat Southampton 2-1 at Upton Park. Ronald Koeman’s side went ahead when Dusan Tadic pressured Hammers defender Carl Jenkinson into a 13th minute goal.

But West Ham’s Michail Antonio equalised in bizarre circumstances in the 69th minute when an attempted Southampton clearance hit him on the head and looped over Saints goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg.

Andy Carroll won it in the 79th minute when he drove in the rebound after an Antonio header hit the bar.