West Ham United will face Arsenal in a highly anticipated Premier League match on Sunday at the London Stadium. Arsenal will be seeking revenge against their London rivals after suffering a defeat in their previous encounter.
Last weekend, Arsenal surprised everyone by defeating the league leaders, Liverpool, with a score of 3-1. On the other hand, West Ham United suffered a 3-0 defeat against Manchester United.
Match preview
In their last match against Manchester United, West Ham United’s manager David Moyes was disappointed with the result.
However, he acknowledged that his former club’s victory was somewhat flattering. Despite the loss, West Ham United is still in seventh place in the table, just two points behind Manchester United.
Although Newcastle United and Brighton & Hove Albion have a chance to overtake West Ham United in the European positions with victories in their Saturday matches, West Ham United can take solace in their strong record at the London Stadium. They have not lost any of their last six Premier League games at home.
While Manchester City and Everton are the only teams that have managed to defeat West Ham United at their home ground this season, it has been a while since the team enjoyed a seven-match unbeaten home run in the Premier League. Their last such streak was during the 2015-16 season.
Arsenal, under the management of Mikel Arteta, had a convincing victory over Liverpool last Sunday. This win helped them overcome their earlier disappointment in the FA Cup and their draw against Liverpool in December.
Arsenal’s recent resurgence has brought them within two points of Liverpool in the league standings.
To secure a victory against West Ham United, Arsenal will need to replicate their previous successes. However, West Ham United has proven to be a tough opponent for Arsenal this season, defeating them both in the league and the EFL Cup.
Team News
In their previous match against Manchester United, West Ham United goalkeeper Alphonse Areola was substituted at halftime due to a head injury.
However, manager David Moyes stated that it was a precautionary measure, and Areola is expected to play in the London derby. Lucas Paqueta and Michail Antonio will not be available due to calf and knee injuries, respectively.
Arsenal’s Gabriel Jesus is dealing with a knee injury, but it is hoped that he will only be sidelined for a few days.
Bukayo Saka, who has been targeted by opponents, should recover from an ankle injury in time for the match. Oleksandr Zinchenko and Thomas Partey are also nursing injuries, while Jurrien Timber and Fabio Vieira are long-term absentees.
Possible starting lineups:
West Ham United:
Areola;
Coufal, Zouma, Aguerd, Emerson;
Soucek, Alvarez;
Johnson, Ward-Prowse, Kudus;
Bowen
Arsenal:
Raya;
White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tomiyasu;
Odegaard, Rice, Jorginho;
Saka, Trossard, Martinelli
Prediction: West Ham United 1-2 Arsenal
While Arsenal’s victory over Liverpool was impressive, it was partly due to defensive mistakes made by their opponents. Arsenal has struggled to keep clean sheets away from home this season.
However, they have shown improved form recently and will be seeking revenge against West Ham United. A close victory for Arsenal seems likely.
