Arsenal vs West Ham – Premier League: TV channel, team news, lineups & prediction
League leaders Arsenal host London rivals West Ham United in the Premier League on Boxing Day.
The Gunners return to the Premier League five points clear at the top of the table. West Ham are at the other end of the table, just a point above the dreaded dotted line, after losing four of their last five Premier League games before Christmas.
Here’s everything you need to know about this capital city battle.
Arsenal vs. West Ham H2H Results (Last Five Games)
Current form (last five games)
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Arsenal team news
Gabriel Jesus only started one game in Qatar but it ended early and painfully. The Brazilian underwent knee surgery and is not expected back until the end of February.
Reiss Nelson is a less totemic figure in this Arsenal squad but also had a serious fitness problem during the winter break when he left just 20 minutes into the club’s friendly against Juventus.
Emile Smith Rowe (groin) is close to returning to training, while Oleksandr Zinchenko (muscle) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (hamstring) are also making “good progress”, according to Mikel Arteta. Albert Sambi Lokonga is doubtful with a foot problem.
Arteta announced that Arsenal World Cup quarter-finalists Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli “will return to the rhythm, form and form of the team immediately”. William Saliba, who reached the final with France, cannot play this Monday.
Arsenal 11+ (4-3-3): Ramsdale; White, Hold, Gabriel, Tierney; Odegaard, Partey, Xhaka; Saka, Nketiah, Martinelli.
Bank: Turner, Hein, Marquinhos, Elneny, Cedric, Tomiyasu, Zinchenko, Smith Rowe, Nwaneri.
West Ham team news
Nayef Aguerd was part of the Moroccan back line that not only impressed at the World Cup but also got injured. There are doubts about Aaron Cresswell and Maxwel Cornet, but David Moyes made it clear that their problems are minor.
Kurt Zouma’s knee injury was far more serious as the France centre-back required surgery at the end of November.
Gianluca Scamacca twisted his ankle in a friendly with Fulham nine days before the trip to north London, while Michail Antonio is also doubtful with a hamstring problem.
West Ham Starting 11 (4-2-3-1): Fabianski; Coufal, Dawson, Ogbonna, Creswell; soucek, rice; Fornals, Paqueta, Benrahma; bowen
Bank: Randolph, Johnson, Downes, Coventry, Emerson, Cornet, Potts, Kehrer, Lanzini.
Arsenal are the only Premier League team with a 100 per cent home record this season. West Ham have had just one Premier League win on the road all season – and not since August.
In fact, David Moyes has never overseen a win against Arsenal in north London. In 21 trips to Highbury and the Emirates while in charge of Preston, Everton, Manchester United, Sunderland and West Ham, Moyes has lost 17 games and drawn just four times.
The Gunners may be without their instrumental striker, but the leaders should have enough to add to Moyes’ dismal Islington record.
Prediction: Arsenal 3-1 West Ham
