Arsenal have a golden opportunity to reduce the gap to Premier League leaders Liverpool to just five points when they face West Ham United on Saturday afternoon. The Gunners have been given hope by Liverpool’s recent stumbles, with the Reds failing to pull away after drawing two of their last three matches.
Arsenal have faced their share of challenges this season, particularly in attack, where injuries have left Mikel Arteta with limited options. Last weekend, Arteta made a bold move by deploying midfielder Mikel Merino as a makeshift striker in their win against Leicester, a decision that paid off handsomely. That victory extended Arsenal’s unbeaten run in the Premier League to an impressive 15 games, showing their ability to adapt under pressure.
In contrast, West Ham have been struggling near the bottom of the table. Graham Potter, who took over after Julen Lopetegui’s departure, has yet to inspire a significant turnaround in form. The Hammers are currently winless in four league games and find themselves in 16th place, uncomfortably close to the relegation zone. They desperately need points in the coming weeks to avoid slipping into a full-blown relegation battle.
Arsenal Team News
Arsenal’s injury woes continue, with key players like Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli still out of action until next month. In addition, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus are sidelined for the foreseeable future, leaving Arteta with limited options up front. However, the return of Ben White to the squad provides a welcome boost, though he hasn’t played since November.
One of the biggest blows for the Gunners was the recent news that Takehiro Tomiyasu has undergone season-ending knee surgery, meaning he will play no further part this campaign. Arteta might once again turn to Merino as a makeshift centre-forward, given the success of this approach in recent weeks.
West Ham Team News
West Ham’s injury problems have also mounted, with Lucas Paqueta suffering an ankle injury in training that will rule him out of Saturday’s clash. This adds to the list of absentees, including Crysencio Summerville and Vladimir Coufal, while key forwards Niclas Fullkrug and Michail Antonio remain unavailable.
January signing Evan Ferguson could make his first start for the Hammers, having impressed as a substitute last weekend. The young Irish striker will have a big task ahead of him against a strong Arsenal defense.
Match Facts
- Arsenal have a strong historical record against West Ham, winning 74 of their 152 encounters, while West Ham has secured 41 victories.
- In the Premier League, Arsenal have triumphed over West Ham 37 times, second only to their record against Everton.
- West Ham won this fixture 2-0 last season but haven’t managed consecutive away victories over Arsenal since the 2006-07 season.
- Arsenal have scored at least five goals in their last two Premier League matches against West Ham, and could join Liverpool as the only team to do so in three straight games against a single opponent in the competition.
Predicted lineups
Arsenal: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Nwaneri, Merino, Trossard
West Ham: Areola; Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman, Emerson; Ward-Prowse, Alvarez; Bowen, Soler, Kudus; Ferguson
Arsenal vs West Ham head-to-head record (last five games)
- Arsenal: 2 wins
- West Ham: 2 wins
- Draws: 1
Prediction: Arsenal 2-0 West Ham
What time does Arsenal vs West Ham kick-off?
- Location: London, England
- Stadium: Emirates Stadium
- Date: Saturday 22 February
- Kick-off: 15:00 GMT / 12:00 ET / 07:00 PT
- Referee: Craig Pawson
- VAR: Peter Bankes
How to watch Arsenal vs West Ham on TV – UK and US
- United Kingdom: Not televised – live radio commentary via BBC Radio 5 Live
- United States: Peacock
- Canada: fuboTV Canada, Fubo Sports Network 7 Canada