West Ham United fell out of the Carabao Cup after a 1-0 quarter final defeat to Arsenal.
A scrappy finish by Danny Welbeck just a few moments before half-time was the only thing that separated the two sides in a contest void of quality.
The Hammers best chances came down the flanks with Arthur Masuaku playing well, but it wasn’t enough for David Moyes’s side to grab the necessary goal.
It was the home side that dominated the majority of possession in the opening period, although a resolute Hammers back-line kept the Gunners from creating clear-cut chances.
West Ham’s first flurry forward came from the in-form Masuaku, who continued to threaten down the left flank.
A free-kick won by the 23-year-old handed the Hammers their best chance of the first half, with Aaron Cresswell whipping in the set-piece on 38 minutes, which was headed into David Ospina’s hands.
Sead Kolasinac fired an effort over from distance for Arsenal, while captain Theo Walcott headed wide from a cross by the Bosnian, despite being unmarked in the West Ham penalty area.
However, three minutes before the break, Arsenal had the lead. Mathieu Debuchy headed Francis Coquelin’s diagonal ball back across goal, and Welbeck poked home the loose ball past Hart.
Once again it was thanks to a powerful Masuaku run that West Ham had a chance on goal on 64 minutes. He was brought down for a free-kick, which Cresswell sent just wide of the far post.
The double introduction of Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho gave West Ham more attacking intent as Moyes sent his side in search of an equaliser.
The presence of the two strikers gave the home side something to worry about, with Carroll in particular looking strong in the penalty area, before Hart was booked for a foul on Welbeck just outside the penalty area.
But despite the substitutions it was not enough for the Hammers to beat Arsenal and were eliminated from the Carabao Cup at the quarter-final stage for a second consecutive season.
West Ham United: Hart; Reid, Collins, Ogbonna; Cresswell (Carroll 65’), Obiang, Quina (Arnautovic 83’), Rice, Masuaku; Ayew, Chicharito (Sakho 65’)
Subs not used: Adrian, Zabaleta, Haksabanovic, Makasi
Arsenal: Ospina; Debuchy, Chambers, Holding, Kolasinac; Coquelin (Dasilva 90’), Elneny, Willock (Sheaf 84’), Walcott, Welbeck, Giroud (Nelson 78’)
Subs not used: Macey, Reine-Adelaide, Akpom, Nketiah
Goals: Welbeck 42’,