West Ham vs Arsenal preview, team news, line-ups & prediction

Premier League leaders Arsenal will look to get back to winning ways when they take on West Ham at the London Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The Gunners were held to a 2-2 draw by Liverpool in a thriller at Anfield last weekend. Arsenal raced into a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus inside the opening half hour. However, Liverpool pulled one back just before half-time and got a deserved equaliser in the 87th minute via a Roberto Firmino header.

That result means Arsenal are now six points clear of second-placed Manchester City with eight games remaining. However, the defending champions have a game in hand, so Mikel Arteta’s men cannot afford any slip up this weekend or their lead could soon disappear.

Following Arsenal’s draw against Liverpool, City are now the bookmakers favourites to win the title. If you choose to have a wager, you could use a Betfair new customer offer to claim a welcome bonus or free bet. Some optimistic Arsenal fans may be tempted to back their team now they are priced as underdogs in the title race.

The Gunners head across London on Sunday to face a West Ham side who are also desperate for a win, but for very different reasons. The Hammers sit 14th in the division – just three points above the relegation zone – so they need a positive result this weekend to boost their survival hopes.

Team news

Arsenal will once again be without the services of William Saliba as the Frenchman is still recovering from a back injury that’s kept him out in recent weeks. Rob Holding will once again deputise in defence.

However, Eddie Nketiah is set to return to the squad after recovering from an ankle injury that’s hampered him lately. Although he’ll have to settle for a place on the bench with Gabriel Jesus back to full fitness. Takehiro Tomiyasu remains on the sidelines as he won’t play again this season due to a serious knee injury.

As for West Ham, they’ll be without Gianluca Scamacca with the striker suffering from a knee injury. However, David Moyes has virtually a fully-fit squad to choose from otherwise.

Line-ups

West Ham:  Fabianski; Kehrer, Ogbonna, Zouma, Cresswell; Bowen, Rice, Soucek, Benrahma; Ings, Antonio

Arsenal: Ramsdale; White, Holding, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Xhaka, Partey; Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli; Jesus

Prediction

Arsenal will have been hugely disappointed to have dropped two points against Liverpool having lead 2-0. Although they were poor in the second half, they were hugely impressive during the opening half at Anfield so Arteta will want his players to show that form again on Sunday. If they can repeat it, then Arsenal will surely blow West Ham away.

The Hammers played a tense 1-1 draw away to Genk in the Europa Conference League on Thursday night and that will have taken it out of the squad. Arsenal should be ready to take advantage and come away with all three points this weekend. West Ham 0-2 Arsenal