ARSENAL claimed a 2-1 victory over Everton at the Premier League summit Saturday, while Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho was sent to the stands as his side crashed to defeat at West Ham United.

    Buoyed by its mid-week win over Bayern Munich in the Champions League, Arsenal defeated Everton 2-1 to usurp previous leader Manchester City, who visited Manchester United yesterday in the Manchester derby.

    But floundering champion Chelsea was left 11 points off the pace in 15th place after Mourinho, his assistant Silvino Louro and midfielder Nemanja Matic were dismissed in a 2-1 loss at Upton Park.

    Since the start of the month Arsenal has been a team transformed, beating United and Watford 3-0 before brilliantly overcoming Bayern, and it has now won four successive games in the league.

    It took control of the game at a rain-lashed Emirates Stadium with two headers in two first-half minutes by France internationals Olivier Giroud and Laurent Koscielny.

    Giroud, preferred to Theo Walcott, flicked Mesut Ozil’s in-swinging cross past Tim Howard in the 36th minute before Koscielny stole in at the near post to convert a left-wing free-kick by Santi Cazorla.

    Everton midfielder Ross Barkley replied before half-time with a shot that took a hefty deflection off Arsenal defender Gabriel.

    After Giroud had hit the woodwork, Romelu Lukaku skimmed the bar with a header, but Everton could not find an equalizer and had Gareth Barry sent off in stoppage time for a second bookable offence.

    Victory lifted Arsenal above West Ham after the east London club had provisionally climbed to second place by beating Chelsea, who has already lost five times in 10 league games.

    Mourinho was banished from the touchline by referee Jon Moss at half-time after Mauro Zarate had drilled West Ham ahead from a 17th-minute corner and Matic had been sent off for two bookable offences.

    Reports suggested he had tried to enter the match officials’ changing room.

    Mourinho may now risk a stadium ban, having been handed a suspended one-game ban by the Football Association last week for accusing the referee of being “afraid” during his side’s recent 3-1 home defeat by Southampton.

    Chelsea could also be punished for failing to fulfil their post-match media duties.

    Slaven Bilic’s West Ham, now unbeaten in seven league games, finished the day in third place.

    (SD-Agencies)