Arsenal vs West Ham Preview: Team News & Prediction
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Arsenal are gunning for another Premier League title as they chase down league leaders Liverpool ahead of this capital city derby clash against a struggling West Ham United side.
Kick-off date/time: Saturday 22nd February, 2025: UK – 3:00pm / US ET – 10:00am / US PT – 7:00am
How to watch on TV: UK – Not televised / US – Not televised
How to watch online: UK – Cannot be streamed / US – Peacock
Arsenal Preview: Gunning for the title
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal have had a few issues in terms of their fluency in the final third and they now have several key injuries to deal with which may well mean the Gunners have to get creative in the run-in to remain effective in the final third.
One of those creative options has already brought success as Spain international Mikel Merino was deployed as an auxiliary striker after coming on in the second-half of last weekend’s clash against Leicester City and he ended up scoring a late match-winning brace for the Gunners.
West Ham Preview: Irons on the slide
Graham Potter replaced Julen Lopetegui in the dugout at the London Stadium in early January and there was an acceptance that his sophisticated style of football would take time to bed in for the Irons but things have arguably declined as they drift down the table.
The visitors come into this one on the back of a 1-0 defeat at home to Brentford last weekend thanks to a Kevin Schade winner for the Bees and that means they have managed just one win in six matches across all competitions since the appointment of Potter.
Arsenal Team News: White is back
Ahead of the visit of West Ham to the north of London, Mikel Arteta has confirmed that England international Ben White is fit and available, saying 'he's ready to play'. They do remain without key players in attack such as Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus. It remains unlikely that Mikel Merino starts a game as a striker.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Nwaneri, Trossard, Sterling
Unavailable: Tomiyasu (Injured), Havertz (Injured), Saka (Injured), Martinelli (Injured), Jesus (Injured)
Questionable:
West Ham Team News: No Paqueta
In his pre-match press conference, Graham Potter has confirmed that Lucas Paqueta will miss 'a week or two' due to an ankle injury. Vladimir Coufal is also a major doubt for the Irons this weekend, whilst Crysencio Summerville remains sidelined alongside Michail Antonio and Niclas Fullkrug.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Areola; Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman, Emerson; Alvarez, Soucek; Bowen, Kudus, Soler; Ferguson
Unavailable: Paqueta (Injured), Summerville (Injured), Antonio (Injured), Fullkrug (Injured)
Questionable: Coufal (Injured)
Arsenal vs West Ham Prediction
Arsenal haven’t, as mentioned, been as fluent as they would want to be for a team supposedly challenging for the title for a third successive season. They do, though, have the ability to score goals from all over the pitch and have plenty of players chipping in off the bench, too. They face a West Ham side that may well benefit from the space that could be afforded to them but Arsenal should control the game enough to get another important three points on the board this weekend.
Arsenal vs West Ham Tip: Arsenal to win & under 3.5 goals
