The State of Play
In the revered fixture between these two sides over Christmas and New Year, West Ham United won 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium, to back up a 2-0 defeat of Manchester United. They have endured a really difficult start to 2024, though, with no victories in six matches across all competitions this year but they do remain tucked inside the top seven, once again, as they aim for European qualification.
Arsenal were able to move themselves firmly back into the Premier League title race as they comfortably defeated Liverpool by three goals to one at the Emirates Stadium last Sunday. The Gunners endured a tricky run of form during the middle of winter but they have now enjoyed three successive victories in the league, scoring a total of ten goals in three matches, too.
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Team News
West Ham United have had a couple of availability issues in the last month or so with Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen both being out at different times but they are both back with Lucas Paqueta edging closer to fitness. He is expected to remain injured for this one, though, whilst Michail Antonio is also unavailable.
Takehiro Tomiyasu has returned from the AFC Asian Cup after Japan’s elimination but Thomas Partey recently suffered an injury setback so the Ghanaian is unavailable, whilst the likes of Fabio Vieira, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jurrien Timber are injured with Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka doubts.
Expected Line-ups
West Ham United: Fabianski; Coufal, Zouma, Ageurd, Emerson; Alvarez, Soucek; Johnson, Ward-Prowse, Kudus; Bowen
Arsenal: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tomiyasu; Odegaard, Rice, Jorginho; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
What they Said
Despite continuing their poor form with a loss at Old Trafford last weekend, West Ham United boss David Moyes remained upbeat and positive about The Hammers’ performances, saying that the 3-0 scoreline ‘was wrong’.
Mikel Arteta described his Arsenal side as ‘ruthless’ in their comfortable 3-1 defeat of Liverpool on Sunday and said “It was an extraordinary game, I think it was an incredible performance from the players and our players, the atmosphere generated in the stadium is the best I’ve seen this season, we demanded that, we had to go to a different level and connect it again to the demands that this league has in every game and they have responded in an unbelievable way and I think the players left absolutely everything.”
When and How to Watch
This match will be played at the London Stadium on Sunday February 11th at 14:00 and can be shown live on Sky Sports in the UK. It can also be streamed live on the Sky Go app.
Prediction
Despite their aforementioned indifferent run of form in this calendar year, West Ham United have still been difficult to beat and remain in a very good position in the table. Arsenal go to the scene of one of their capitulations in April last year as they relinquished pole position in the Premier League title race. Arsenal head to the London Stadium in good form but an entertaining encounter with both teams scoring is to be expected with West Ham United more than capable of getting about anyone in the league, especially at home.
