The towering centre forward scored a hat-trick for Slaven Bilic’s side as they came from two-nil down to earn a share of the spoils at Upton Park.

Arsenal looked to be cruising to victory after Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez had given them a 2-0 lead after 35 minutes before Carroll’s acts of brilliance.

As it was it needed a 70th-minute equaliser from centre back Laurent Koscielny to ensure that they left east London with a point. Final score, West Ham 3, Arsenal 3.

Ozil: opened goals for Arsenal

The very entertaining match would even have yielded more goals if the 14th minute effort by West Ham forward Manuel Lanzini was allowed.

But four minutes after, it was Arsenal on the driver’s seat as  playmaker Mesut Ozil fired them ahead with a neat finish past Hammers goalkeeper Adrian.

Alexis Sanchez  doubled the Gunners’ lead on 35 minutes following a slick attacking move, helped by Alex Iwobi.

Andy Carroll pulled one back for the hosts with a bullet header on 44 minutes from an Aaron Cresswell delivery. In added time, the 27-year-old striker equalised for the Hammers  with an acrobatic effort.

West Ham had a second goal disallowed at the start of the second half due to a foul by Carroll on Laurent Koscielny.

However, just moments later they took the lead as Carroll completed his hat-trick with another far-post header.

Koscielny equalised for Arsenal from close range on 70 minutes in the pulsating Premier League clash.

The point moved Arsenal 10 points away from League leaders Leicester,  and three away from Tottenham with six matches to go.

Pundits,however,  may have ruled out Arsenal’s chances for the league crown.

*Match report by Mail Online