Marc Overmars spoiled Ian Wright's return to Highbury with an early goal to secure the points for The Gunners.

BBC Radio 5 Live's Mike Ingham reports on Arsenal v West Ham

The Dutch winger's drive from the angle of the penalty area proved good enough but manager Arsene Wenger must have been worried by his side's failure to capitalise further on their undoubted superiority before the break.

Numerous chances went begging and a massive clearance by 'keeper Alex Manninger, which almost caught out opposite number Shaka Hislop, was the closest they came in the second 45 minutes.

West Ham had enough chances to force at least a draw but Wright could not reproduce the finishing power which made him Arsenal's record scorer during his time at the club.

A hero's welcome

Wright was made captain for the day by Hammers boss Harry Redknapp and he was given a warm welcome by the home fans when the teams emerged onto the pitch.

Overmars celebrates his goal

But there was little for him to smile about in the first half as Arsenal produced the style which brought them the double last season.

The visitors double teamed Overmars in a bid to keep him out of the game, but it was all to no avail as Trevor Sinclair and Steve Potts were given the runaround.

It only took Overmars seven minutes to open the scoring as he cut inside from the left flank before unleashing a low shot from the angle of the box which proved too hot for Hislop to keep out.

Marc Overmars score for Arsenal (BBC Radio 5 Live)

A clever 1-2 with Dennis Bergkamp led to Nicolas Anelka firing in a shot which Hislop did well to paw away for a corner and the Frenchman forced an even better save from the West Ham 'keeper when he out-witted two defenders before trying an angled left-footer.

Ray Parlour, Emmanuel Petit and Lee Dixon all tried their luck from outside the box without the required accuracy before Anelka slipped past Ian Pearce in the box and hammered the ball against the outside of the upright from close to the byline.

Injury blow for Arsenal

It was Anelka's last significant act as injury forced him out of the game, but replacement Christopher Wreh was soon in the action, heading back for Parlour to warm Hislop's hands with a fierce drive.

Ian Wright: Missed two second half chances

Rio Ferdinand strove manfully to try and stem the tide but as the trickery of Overmars led to two more openings just before the break, but Bergkamp was narrowly off target on each occasion.

Hislop was a relieved man soon after the re-start when Manninger's clearance landed on the roof of the net after bouncing once on the edge of the box.

But West Ham slowly gained some self-belief and Wright should have done better when a chip over the home defence gave him an opportunity from 20 yards.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger (BBC Radio 5 Live)

Arsenal escaped again when Frank Lampard and Eyal Berkovic linked well but the former lost his footing after running onto a through ball and rounding Manninger.

The home dug-out grew increasingly anxious and substitute Wreh found himself replaced by defender Gilles Grimandi but it was more by luck than judgement as they hung on.

Wright side-footed wide after Martin Keown failed to cut out Lampard's pass and Berkovic almost forced the ball home from close range in the final moments.

Arsenal: Manninger, Dixon, Vieira, Bould, Vivas, Anelka, Bergkamp, Overmars, Keown, Parlour, Petit. Subs: Winterburn, Wreh, Grimandi, Boa Morte, Lukic.

West Ham: Hislop, Potts, Keller, Sinclair, Hartson, Lomas, Wright, Ferdinand, Lampard, Pearce, Berkovic. Subs: Breacker, Lazaridis, Forrest, Omoyimni, Margas.