After a challenging international break, Arsenal have bounced back impressively. Their 5-1 demolition of Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday was one of their most comfortable displays of the season, with goals from Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Magalhães, and Leandro Trossard.
This victory lifted them into the top eight of the Champions League standings and followed a crucial 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, which snapped a four-game winless streak and kept them firmly in the top four.
Despite a nine-point gap to league leaders Liverpool, Arsenal are only one point behind a struggling Manchester City. Now, Arteta's team will be looking to secure their first away win in the league since mid-September.
Arsenal have a solid record in London derbies, with only two defeats in their last 26 Premier League encounters with capital rivals since the start of the 2022-23 season. They’ve scored in 25 of those matches, but their only blank in that run came against West Ham, who will be determined to make things difficult for them this time around.
West Ham come into the match with some renewed confidence after a surprise 2-0 win at Newcastle on Monday. Tomas Souček and Aaron Wan-Bissaka scored either side of halftime to give the Irons their first away victory since August, helping manager Julen Lopetegui earn some breathing room despite his team's struggles this season. Sitting in 14th place, West Ham now have a six-point cushion over the relegation zone.
At home, the Hammers have been tougher to beat, taking seven points from their last three Premier League games at the London Stadium. Their recent form includes wins over Ipswich Town and Manchester United, and a draw with Everton.
West Ham will also have the memory of their most recent encounter with Arsenal to motivate them, having lost 6-0 to the Gunners in February, though they did win 2-0 at the Emirates earlier in the same season.
This London derby is shaping up to be an intriguing clash between two sides with plenty to prove.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Arsenal’s win over Sporting Lisbon wasn't entirely without issue, as Gabriel, who scored in the match, was forced off late with an injury. The full extent of the problem is still unclear, but it wouldn’t be surprising if Arteta opts to rest him ahead of next week’s showdown with Manchester United.
If Gabriel is sidelined, Arteta has a couple of options. He could make a straight swap with Jakub Kiwior, who replaced Gabriel on Tuesday, or shift Riccardo Calafiori into a centre-back role and move Oleksandr Zinchenko into a wider position.
Arteta might also consider making a few fresh changes, as he did in the surprise selection against Nottingham Forest. Leandro Trossard and Mikel Merino could be in line for starting spots to add some fresh legs to the lineup.
On the injury front, Kieran Tierney made his return to the bench in the Champions League after recovering from a hamstring issue, leaving only Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu unavailable for Arsenal.
For West Ham, the big news comes from the dugout. Manager Julen Lopetegui will miss the match against Arsenal after receiving his third yellow card of the season during the win at Newcastle, meaning he’ll serve a touchline ban.
Lopetegui will be joined in the stands by Mohammed Kudus, who is serving the final game of his five-match suspension. On the plus side for the Hammers, Edson Álvarez is back after a two-game ban, and he’s available for selection.
In terms of injuries, West Ham will still be without Niclas Füllkrug, who is struggling with a calf issue, and Jean-Clair Todibo, who picked up a knock in the win at Newcastle. This could mean a return to the starting XI for former Arsenal player Dinos Mavropanos, who may face his old team.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
West Ham United possible starting lineup:
Fabianski; Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman, Emerson; Soucek; Bowen, Paqueta, Soler, Summerville; Antonio
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Calafiori; Odegaard, Rice, Merino; Saka, Havertz, Trossard
EXPERT PREDICTION
West Ham 1-2 Arsenal
Arsenal fans will have fond memories of the early months of 2024, when Arteta’s side were tearing through defences with ease. It looks like that attacking spark is back, based on their performances in the last couple of matches.
Given that, even a West Ham team that managed to frustrate Newcastle should struggle to hold the Gunners at bay for long this weekend. However, for the sake of West Ham supporters, they can take some comfort in the fact that a repeat of last season’s 6-0 thrashing seems unlikely.
