West Ham United 1-2 Arsenal FT

FA Cup sponsored by E.ON third round
West Ham United v Arsenal
Boleyn Ground
Sunday 3 January
4.15pm
Referee: Mark Clattenburg

Full-time

94 min - West Ham launch a final attack but after Sears' deep cross finds Jimenez, his touch cannot quite set up a shooting chance for Diamanti and Arsenal clear.

93 min - Green keeps the hopes alive with a save using his feet.

90 min - Into five minutes of added time. Surely there must be one more chance for the Hammers left.

88 min - Edgar comes on for Stanislas.

87 min - Well the game was nearly out of reach before he came on as Eduardo puts another header just over.

86 min - There may be one more change coming for the Hammers as Anthony Edgar is in his kit.

85 min - Well unsurprisingly, that goal has sent the away fans wild but West Ham must not lose hope. They have had plenty of chances in the game and need just one more to fall their way now.

83 min - GOAL! Arsenal take the lead and that really is harsh on the Hammers. Eduardo out-leaps Upson and sends a brilliant header into the top corner past Green.

79 min - Zola responds by swapping Nouble for Sears.

79 min - GOAL! There is and sadly it is the visitors who get it. Song manages to get the ball to Ramsey in a crowded area and the Wales international fires low and hard into the far corner.

78 min - Well it really is end-to-end stuff and you really feel there is another goal in this. Zola looks to be going for it as Freddie Sears is being got ready.

72 min - Superb double save from Green to thwart first Diaby and then Song with two diving stops. The West Ham No1 was down for a short while afterwards but is back on his feet. West Ham may need him for the final 20 minutes.

71 min - Brief pause as Nouble is down with what loos like cramp. After a bit attention, he is fine to carry on.

69 min - The changes seem to have had the desired effect as the visitors are seeing more of the ball now. Daprela makes a vital tackle on Nasri as Arsenal win another corner.

65 min - Wenger is worried enough to make two changes. Merida and Wilshere make way for Samir Nasri and Abou Diaby.

63 min - I would say the Hammers are on top here as Nouble does well to keep hold of the ball before Behrami is tripped after picking it up from him. Diamanti takes the set-piece but Fabianski gets there before Tomkins.

57 min - It really is end-to-end stuff here now as first Faubert's cross is just in front of the on-rushing Nouble before Ramsey's attempted curler is about five yards too high. This is turning into quite a cup tie.

56 min - Diamanti picked up a bit of knock just now but he is back on his feet and looks OK to continue for now.

55 min - Behrami is everywhere. He tracks back to break up another Arsenal attack.

53 min - Eduardo's shot is deflected over by Upson and Arsenal have their first corner of the half.

48 min - The hosts have come out of the blocks flying here and Nouble works Fabianski before Stanislas forces him into the save of the match moments later with a rasping 25-yard effort. Great start to the half here.

47 min - West Ham United go on the attack straight away and Nouble fires a right-footed shot wide of the Arsenal goal.

46 min - We are underway in the second period.

Half-time

46 min - GOAL! What a way to end the half! Behrami's perfect through-ball puts Diamanti in the clear and his shot goes in at the far post via Fabianski and the post.

45 min - One minute of added time.

45 min - Referee Mark Clattenburg gets his cards out again and this time it's a West Ham player that will go into his notebook. Daprela is the man to have his name taken for a late tackle on Wilshere.

43 min - I think that must be about the fifth corner that Nouble has cleared at the near post. I am sure Arsene Wenger will have something to say about that at half time.

42 min - Upson has to be alert as Wilshere rampages into the box. The England defender slides in to put the ball behind.

40 min - Arsenal are still a danger and Vela outpaces Tomkins to test Green with a low shot.

37 min - More good harrying from Behrami then leads him to setting up Jimenez for a shot but he drags it wide of the post.

35 min - Behrami is on fire. He almost stopped Arsenal's attack on his own then as he tackled three players to win the ball back. The Bobby Moore Stand sing his name in response. The Hammers are certainly coming into this a bit more.

32 min - Daprela goes on another strong burst forward that almost puts him in the penalty area, only to be tackled at the last minute. What a story that would be if he could mark his debut with a goal.

29 min - Corner to the visitors at the other end as Behrami does well to track back. Green, once again, is there to palm the ball to safety before Vermaelen fires the follow up over the bar.

27 min - First flash of brilliance from Diamanti as he forces Fabianski into a diving save to his right. The Hammers win a corner but the Arsenal stopper once again diverts the danger by taking a catch.

26 min - First yellow card of the afternoon goes to Song after a late challenge of Behrami.

24 min - Well West Ham have a free-kick of their own up the other end as Daprela is felled by Alex Song. Stanislas takes it but it flashes just wide.

23 min - Eduardo took it but Green watched it all the way in to his hands. Good goalkeeping that.

22 min - The Hammers have seen a bit more of the ball now but Arsenal have got a free-kick in a really dangerous position right on the edge of the Hammers' area.

17 min - Good tracking back from Faubert there to take the ball off Vela's foot. Moments later, Eduardo forces Green into a diving save after Tomkins' loose pass had given him a shooting chance 20 yards out.

15 min - A towering Upson head clears that one but Ramsey's follow up is deflected over by Behrami for another corner.

15 min - Another corner to Arsenal as Behrami blocks Wilshere's cross.

12 min - First shot on target goes to Arsenal as Fran Merida works Green with a 25-yard effort that England international gathers comfortably.

9 min - West Ham are looking dangerous on the break and one counter attack left them with players left over at the back post then. Sadly Faubert's cross was not quite strong enough and the chance went begging.

8 min - Another corner to Arsenal as Daprela heads behind a deep corner. The ball eventually comes back to Jack Wilshere and his deep cross is collected by Robert Green.

6 min - Brilliant centre-forward play from Nouble as he holds off Thomas Vermaelen to force a corner. Gunners goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski comes out to punch the ball clear.

4 min - Early free-kick to the visitors as Daprela is punished for a strong tackle. The set-piece is weak though and Nouble clears.

1 min -West Ham United get us going. It looks as though they will be playing a 4-4-1-1 formation with Luis Jimenez playing behind Nouble in attack. Behrami will be playing in central midfield alongside Radoslav Kovac.

4.13pm - 'Bubbles' is on and the players are on their way out. Mikael Silvestre has taken the armband today with Cesc Fabregas missing.

4.10pm - West Ham will have to work to silence the large numbers of away supporters that have taken over the whole of the Sir Trevor Brooking Stand. I am told that there are around 5,000 people supporting the north Londoners here today.

4.05pm - The players have finished their warm ups and the tension is mounting. Leeds United have already pulled off a great result against a 'top four' team today and let us all hope West Ham United can follow suit.

3.55pm - Jack Collison and Jonathan Spector are both being rested today as a precautionary measure after the busy Christmas schedule.

3.50pm - There is a real youthful feel to the West Ham United squad today and eight of the matchday 18 are products of Tony Carr's Academy, without including summer recruits Nouble and Daprela who have played mainly for the reserves this season.

Gianfranco Zola has handed full debuts to two teenagers as West Ham United host Arsenal in the FA Cup third round.

England Under-19 forward Frank Nouble is handed his first start in a Hammers shirt playing as a lone striker in a 4-4-1-1 formation, while Switzerland U19 defender Fabio Daprela makes his first-team bow at left-back.

First-year professionals Olly Lee and Anthony Edgar are named among the substitutes alongside Freddie Sears, who has returned from a loan spell at Crystal Palace.

West Ham United: Green, Faubert, Tomkins, Upson, Daprela, Kovac, Behrami, Stanislas (Edgar 88), Diamanti, Jimenez, Nouble (Sears 79)
Subs: Stech, 'Gala, Da Costa, Payne, Lee

Arsenal: Fabianski, Sagna, Gallas, Vermaelen, Silvestre, Ramsey, Song, Merida (Nasri 65), Wilshere (Diaby 65), Eduardo, Vela
Subs: Mannone, Gilbert, Traore, Eastmond, Emmanuel-Thomas