We head to West Ham United on Sunday aiming to win our fourth-straight league game at the start of a calendar year for the first time since 1935, but more importantly, make it third-time lucky against the Hammers this season.
Having exited the Carabao Cup at the hands of David Moyes’ side in November before tasting a home league defeat the following month, the east-Londoners have proven to be tough opponents this term, and are unbeaten in their last six matches at London Stadium.
But with the Hammers yet not tasting victory in 2024, momentum is definitely on our side, and just as we did against Liverpool last time out, we'll be hoping that a win comes at the third time of asking.
Win-shy Hammers hard to beat
Last weekend saw the Hammers occupy a top-six position, but they were leapfrogged by Manchester United after losing 3-0 to the Red Devils on Sunday to stretch their search for a win to six matches in all competitions.
However that stat doesn't tell the whole story. They drew four of those games, and last week’s loss was just the second time they have tasted defeat in the Premier League in their last 12 outings, which had seen them sneak up the table unheralded.
Their home form has been crucial to that rise in fortunes, as only Manchester City and Everton have left the London Stadium with victories in 16 matches in all competitions.
What the managers say
Arteta: "We are playing with more and more aggression and scoring goals. The amount of goals we share in the squad is very, very important because we have lost big players this season for long periods and we’re still very competitive. That’s what we have to try to continue to do.
"They are a really good side and difficult to beat at home. We are going to have to be at our best to give ourselves the best chance to win the game." - read every word from Mikel’s pre-match press conference
Moyes: “We’ve tried to give the players a bit of time training together, which we’ve needed because we’ve been off the boil a little. Getting them all back together has been good and hopefully we can build on it.
“We’ve beaten Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea this year. We’re giving the top teams a game and hopefully we can do the same on Sunday. Our home form has been pretty good in the main this season and hopefully we can keep it up.”
Team news
Arteta admitted that Bukayo Saka is OK after coming off early against Liverpool last weekend, but he is still unsure about Oleksandr Zinchenko after his withdrawal at half-time in the same game, as well as Gabriel Jesus who missed out completely with a knee issue.
Takehiro Tomiyasu has returned from the Asian Cup following Japan’s quarter-final exit, meaning Jurrien Timber, Thomas Partey and Fabio Vieira are our only other concerns.
Hammers goalkeeper Alphonse Areola was withdrawn at half-time against Manchester United as a precaution after sustaining a head injury but Moyes believes he should be fine to make a quick recovery.
Lucas Paqueta is still out with the calf injury he sustained in the reverse fixture in December, while Michail Antonio has returned to training following his knee injury layoff but isn’t yet ready for match action.
Talking tactics
Adrian Clarke: Having beaten us twice already this season, Moyes may feel he has unearthed the tactical blueprint to success in this contest, so we are unlikely to encounter too many strategic surprises.
West Ham will let us have most of the possession. They averaged just 27 per cent in our previous two encounters, relying on a compact defensive shape to keep us at bay. In both games they protected their own 18-yard box superbly, so it is down to Arsenal’s players to play at a higher tempo with more imaginative movement.
In a 4-2-3-1 the Hammers will rarely press. Instead, they will sit off, look to regain the ball, and then produce rapid counter-attacks. They have scored six times from fast breaks in the Premier League, ranking them second in that department. Mohammed Kudus will raid down either wing, and no top-flight player has completed more successful dribbles than the tricky Ghanaian this term.
Set-pieces will be another dangerous avenue for the hosts. They scored from a corner against us last time out, and in James Ward-Prowse they undoubtedly have the best dead ball technician in the division. No one has made more chances from them (33) than him, while only two other sides have produced more headed shots than Moyes’ side.
Facts and stats
We have lost just one of our last 15 league away games against the Hammers, going down 1-0 in January 2019 when Declan Rice scored the winner.
West Ham are looking to complete a Premier League double over us for the first time since 2006/07.
West Ham are unbeaten in their last six Premier League home games; they are yet to go seven without defeat at the London Stadium in the competition.
Heading into MD24, no team has scored more goals in the 90th minute (incl. stoppage time) of Premier League matches this season than us (8), while we are the only team yet to concede in that timeframe.
Moyes has lost 22 of his 37 league games against us, only losing more often against Liverpool (24). He’s yet to beat us at home as West Ham boss in the competition, drawing three and losing one of his four games.
Saka is the only player to have had 50+ shots (60), created 50+ chances (58), attempted 50+ dribbles (75) and had 50+ touches in the opposition box (172) in the Premier League this season.
Ward-Prowse has six league assists this season, only in 2020-/21 (7) has he delivered more in a single top-flight campaign.
Leandro Trossard is averaging a goal or assist every 99 minutes for us in the Premier League (6 goals, 11 assists in 1684 minutes). Only Thierry Henry (one every 86) and Robin van Persie (98) have a better minutes per goal involvement average for the Gunners than Trossard (minimum 1000 minutes).
Match officials
Craig Pawson has been given this game, which is the first time all season he has been in charge of ourselves or the Hammers. The time he oversaw us was when we beat Leicester City back in February 2023, which stretched a winning run in his presence to five matches.
Meanwhile West Ham haven’t won any of the last three he has been appointed to, stretching back to November 2021. Pawson has brandished three red cards and three penalties in his 11 Premier League matches so far this season.
- Referee: Craig Pawson
- Assistant Referees: Marc Perry and Steve Meredith
- Fourth Official: Graham Scott
- VAR: John Brooks
- Assistant VAR: Lee Betts
Recent visits to east London
Since West Ham moved to the former Olympic Stadium in 2016, we have won three and drawn three of our eight visits there, falling to a 3-1 League Cup defeat back in November.
Seven months earlier, goals from Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard put us 2-0 up inside 10 minutes, but a Said Benrahma penalty and a Bowen strike saw the Hammers fight back to earn a point.
Our last win came in May 2022 when Rob Holding and Gabriel found the net in a 2-1 success, while a superb fightback from three goals down saw us grab a point two years ago when a pair of own goals as well as Alexandre Lacazette’s leveller helped us to a 3-3 draw
Take a look back at five memorable matches away at the Hammers from the past four decades, including impressive displays from Alan Smith, Alexis Sanchez and Gabriel Martinelli.
Live coverage
Tune into Arsenal.com and the official app from an hour before kick-off where Nick Bright and Adrian Clarke will host our matchday show, providing all the best build-up to the game.
Adrian will take a look at some of the finer details you may have missed from our victory against Liverpool last time out, and they will discuss the key talking points from Mikel Arteta’s pre-match press conference.
There will also be plenty of focus on our opponents and their strengths and weaknesses, before live commentary from the London Stadium comes courtesy of Dan Roebuck and Jonathon Rogers.
You can also find out which broadcasters are showing the game live wherever you are in the world.
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