Rarely in the history of the Premiership, let alone English or, perhaps, world football, can a match of such a one-sided nature have ended in favour of the oppressed. How West Ham United became the first team to defeat Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium will become one of life’s enduring mysteries.

Despite the joy, relief and astonishment among the claret-and-blue ranks, a dark cloud hovers over Upton Park. When an independent commission meets on April 26 and 27 to investigate alleged impropriety in the signing of Carlos Tévez and Javier Mascherano last August, West Ham could be deducted three points.

Such an outcome would render this logic-defying victory irrelevant. And were the appeal process to drag on after May 13, when West Ham conclude their campaign away to Manchester United, they could escape relegation only to be demoted days later.

For the moment, West Ham can ignore the whims of the judiciary, dream of salvation and embrace Lady Luck for her overwhelming assistance on Saturday. Arsenal’s mastery was absolute and, at the risk of repetition, consider the following onslaught:

0-30min: Cesc Fàbregas ghosts through but shoots weakly at Robert Green, the West Ham goalkeeper; Green saves from Emmanuel Adebayor; Adebayor shoots over from Fredrik Ljungberg’s pass; Green saves from Ljungberg; Tomas Rosicky shoots wide from a cross by Alexander Hleb; Rosicky curls another effort off target.

31-60min: Green makes a smart save from Rosicky; Fàbregas’s lob is caught by Green; Fàbregas shoots over; Gaël Clichy shoots over; Ljungberg drives at Green; Lucas Neill clears an Adebayor header; Green saves superbly from Gilberto Silva; Green palms away an Adebayor header from a Rosicky free kick; Fàbregas strikes the bar with a 20-yard shot.

61-92min: Gilberto dives to nod wide; Jérémie Aliadiãre shoots into the side-netting; Aliadiãre blasts wide; Kolo Touré shoots over; Gilberto heads wide; Green saves from Fàbregas’s header; Gilberto toe-pokes against a post; Green saves from Aliadiãre.

The upshot for Arsenal was a first defeat at the Emirates in 23 matches since they decamped from Highbury, a third successive league loss — for the first time since December 2005 — and a miserable record of two wins in their past ten matches. The booing from the home team’s fans said it all.

More significantly, the season ticket for the Champions League that Arsenal consider rightfully theirs is in jeopardy. Bolton Wanderers have closed to gap to fourth place to two points. “We cannot think about that,” Arsãne Wenger, the Arsenal manager, said. “We just think about regrouping, not feeling sorry too much.”

The upshot for West Ham is a chance to retain their Barclays Premiership status. Not long ago, that notion was laughable, but a third win in a row leaves them only two points adrift of safety.

With Alan Curbishley, the manager, having apparently remotivated his troops after the chaos left behind by Alan Pardew, the team are producing. “Football is all about confidence,” Curbishley said. “Once the results start coming, other things fall into place.”

West Ham took advantage of a marginal offside decision going in their favour, when Bobby Zamora lobbed the ball over Jens Lehmann, and then relied on the acrobatics of Green and heroic defending. “There was a lot of work for me,” Green said, “but that’s what I’m there for.”

Arsenal (4-4-2): J Lehmann — E Eboué, K Touré, W Gallas, G Clichy — A Hleb (sub: J Aliadiãre, 65min), F Fàbregas, Gilberto Silva (sub: A Diaby, 84), T Rosicky — E Adebayor, F Ljungberg (sub: J Baptista, 74). Substitutes not used: P Senderos, M Almunia.

West Ham United (4-4-2): R Green — L Neill, J Collins, A Ferdinand, G McCartney (sub: J Spector, 46) — L Bowyer, N Reo-Coker, M Noble, M Etherington — C Tévez (sub: K Blanco, 81), R Zamora (sub: L Boa Morte, 65). Substitutes not used: R Carroll, H Mullins. Booked: Collins.

Referee: G Poll