As the Premier League intensifies, West Ham United will be gearing up to host Arsenal at the London Stadium this Saturday at 5:30 PM. With both teams high on recent victories, this promises to be a very thrilling encounter with high stakes on either side.
MATCH PREVIEW
Arsenal comes into the match rejuvenated after a dream 5-1 Champions League victory over Sporting Lisbon. Inspirational performances by Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, and Leandro Trossard drove the Gunners into the Champions League’s top eight.
An emphatic 3-0 win following an opening-leg nil all in the FA Cup for Nottingham Forest brought an end to a four-game winless spell by the Gunners. As big as nine points from pace setters Liverpool, Arsenal is strongly cemented fourth and just one point behind Manchester City for real.
Another reason to be optimistic is Arsenal’s form in London derbies; they have lost only twice in 26 Premier League clashes against London rivals since the start of 2022, scoring in 25 of these matches.
West Ham’s Improvement
On the other hand, West Ham United has been riding a wave of optimism after a surprise 2-0 victory against Newcastle United. Goals from Tomas Soucek and Aaron Wan-Bissaka sealed their first away win since August, lifting them to 14th in the league with a six-point cushion above the relegation zone.
At home, West Ham has been resilient, collecting seven points in their last three Premier League outings at the London Stadium, including wins against Ipswich Town and Manchester United. In addition, the Irons have not lost in three of the last four matches against Arsenal, although they did lose 6-0 in February 2024 in this fixture.
Team News:
Arsenal
Arsenal’s backline could be different with Gabriel Magalhaes pulling out midweek. Jakub Kiwior will be his likely replacement, although Oleksandr Zinchenko may feature if Riccardo Calafiori is moved inside to centre-back.
In midfield, Mikel Arteta may change it up and introduce fresh legs in the form of Mikel Merino and Leandro Trossard. Kieran Tierney’s return to fitness deepens the squad further but Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu remain absent with respective knee injuries.
Team News: West Ham
West Ham’s manager Julen Lopetegui will be serving a touchline ban, while midfielder Mohammed Kudus serves the last of his five-match suspension. Edson Alvarez is back from his two-game ban to add some strength to their midfield.
Defensively, Jean-Clair Todibo may be subject to a late fitness test, which could provide an opportunity for former Arsenal player Dinos Mavropanos to play against his old club.
Predicted Lineups
West Ham United (4-1-4-1):
Fabianski; Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman, Emerson; Soucek; Bowen, Paqueta, Soler, Summerville; Antonio
Arsenal (4-3-3):
Raya; Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Calafiori; Odegaard, Rice, Merino; Saka, Havertz, Trossard
Prediction
Arsenal’s recent form has reflected a resurgence of their firepower, while the West Ham rearguard is set to challenge and contain the Gunners’ fire. This will likely be a difficult game that Arsenal’s class should still see them win.
Prediction: West Ham United 1-3 Arsenal
