West Ham 2 Arsenal 2:The Gunners threw away the chance of a fifth straight Premier League win as West Ham battled back to earn a 2-2 draw at Upton Park.

Arsene Wenger’s side had looked in complete control following first-half goals from Robin van Persie and William Gallas.

However, Carlton Cole pulled a goal back before substitute Alessandro Diamanti netted a late penalty.

West Ham finished with ten men when Scott Parker was shown a second yellow card, but they were not to be denied a much-needed positive result.

The visitors took the lead on 16 minutes when Abou Diaby fed full-back Bacary Sagna on the overlap down the right.

The French defender whipped the ball across the six-yard box, where Robert Green came to palm it away, only to collide with James Tomkins, leaving Van Persie free to slot into an empty net for his sixth goal of the season.

Upton Park was subdued, with the home fans starting to get restless before Arsenal doubled their lead on 37 minutes.

A 25-yard shot from Cesc Fabregas was deflected behind for a corner. Van Persie whipped the ball across towards the far post, where Gallas got up to thump a header past Parker on the line.

Italian Diamanti, sent on just before the hour mark, at least injected some life into the West Ham attack, as he fired a 35-yard effort wide.

Diaby then wrestled Zavon Hinds to the ground, giving away a needless free-kick in a dangerous position, five yards outside the area on the left.

Diamanti smashed the ball goalwards, which Vito Mannone did well to keep out, but pushed it back to the six-yard box where Cole headed in to give West Ham a life-line on 74 minutes.

The home fans were screaming for a penalty when Parker went down after running into Gallas, but the referee waved play on. However, a spot-kick was given with 10 minutes left when Song tripped Cole.

After Mannone had been booked for not going back on his line, Diamanti leveled to send Upton Park into delirium.

West Ham were reduced to 10 men when Parker, already booked, was shown a second yellow card for deliberately falling on the ball as Fabregas charged clear.