English FA Arsenal 2 West Ham 3: The fact that this was the 2,000th match to be staged at Highbury felt like a lesser piece of history.
There was resonance of a more pressing nature when an abject Sol Campbell had to be taken off at the interval as West Ham clinched their first win here in 11 years.
Although Robert Pires cut the deficit with a minute remaining, Matthew Etherington's 80th-minute goal, with a shot that deflected off the substitute Mathieu Flamini, was decisive.
The report that Campbell had been seen walking out of the front door at half-time, though, spoke eloquently of a club whose leaders have faltered. This has proved to be a terrible season for the defender. He had no sooner regained his place for England than he was dropped again in favour of Rio Ferdinand.
Footballers expect an education at Highbury, but the Arsenal youngsters never imagined they would be enrolled in the school of hard knocks. Their heads were spinning at the break because of the 2-1 advantage to West Ham, and also out of disbelief that a senior player in their side was responsible for the difficulties.
At each of those goals from the visitors, Campbell, before he was removed at the interval, had looked unsure and lacking in power. So frail has the defender been recently that chairman Peter Hill-Wood last week threw his name, along with those of Freddie Ljungberg and Pires, on to a list of those who might have only a year left at the top level.
As Arsenal deteriorated, Campbell must have felt that even this night was too long. His concerns were eased moments before the interval, when Thierry Henry set a new club record with his 151st league goal for Arsenal.
They still lagged, however, and, despite the intermittent beauty of their play, the side are fragile. Alan Pardew's team were sure to cause a few breakages.
As Campbell learned, West Ham do not co-operate in any footballer's rehabilitation nowadays. Even with the £7.25 million signing Dean Ashton among the substitutes, the side became piratical once they had weathered early pressure. Etherington, in the 25th minute, played a through ball that was pounced on by Nigel Reo-Coker as Campbell omitted to clear, and the midfielder ran through to slot +home low shot.
The advantage grew seven minutes later. Paul Konchesky struck a diagonal pass and Campbell, going to ground without being capable of completing his tackle, saw Bobby Zamora turn back inside him and flight an assured shot into the far corner of the net.
It might send a shudder through Arsène Wenger to realise that his side have a fight on their hands to better the total of 63 points scraped together in 1995-96. That was the last full season, with Bruce Rioch in charge, before the Frenchman was appointed.
Arsenal are capable of recovering fourth place, with its access to next season's Champions League qualifiers, but progress is erratic. They opened well, a goal-bound shot from Henry bounced off Ljungberg in the sixth minute, and moments later, Robin van Persie struck the outside of a post after baffling Danny Gabbidon with his twists and turns.
A minute before half-time Yossi Benayoun cleared Johan Djourou's attempt from the line, but the onslaught did not fade. Within moments Shaka Hislop blocked at the feet of Ljungberg and when Van Persie forced the ball back into the goalmouth and Anton Ferdinand cleared, he found only Pires. The midfielder's shot was helped home with the faintest touch from Henry.
So great had the first-half sins been, however, that atonement did not come easy.
Guardian Service
ARSENAL: Lehmann, Gilbert (Flamini 27), Djourou, Campbell (Larsson 45), Senderos, Ljungberg, Diaby (Bergkamp 71), Silva, Pires, Henry, Van Persie. Subs not used: Almunia, Hleb. Booked: Larsson. Goals: Henry 45, Pires 89.
WEST HAM UTD: Hislop, Clarke (Fletcher 76), Ferdinand, Gabbidon, Konchesky, Benayoun (Newton 66), Mullins, Reo-Coker, Etherington, Harewood, Zamora (Ashton 73). Subs not used: Bywater, Sheringham. Booked: Gabbidon. Goals: Reo-Coker 25, Zamora 32, Etherington 80.
Referee: M Halsey (Lancashire).
