The opportunity to cut the lead at the top of the table to five points sits before us when West Ham United cross the capital on Saturday (3pm UK).
London derbies have proved fruitful for us recently as we are unbeaten in our last 13 in all competitions, however our last derby defeat came in this exact fixture 14 months ago. That was only our second loss in 18 Premier League games against the east-enders, who have struggled for form since Graham Potter's appointment last month.
We’ve only beaten Everton more often in the Premier League than the Hammers, and that trend will have to continue if we’re to put maximum pressure on leaders Liverpool who are in action 24 hours after our outing at Emirates Stadium.
Potter yet to cast his spell
Having replaced David Moyes in the summer, Julen Lopetegui couldn’t lift his team into the top half of the table bar the opening couple of weeks. Winning six and drawing five of his 20 Premier League games wasn’t enough to impress the owners, and Potter swiftly replaced him - his first role since leaving Chelsea in April 2023.
Despite beating Fulham in his first game, the Hammers have won just one of their last seven Premier League fixtures, and a 1-0 home loss to Brentford last time out means they’ve lost three of the last four. They sit 16th heading into this weekend, but a 10-point cushion above the drop zone means any fears of relegation are minimal.
Half of their six wins this term have come on their travels - Crystal Palace on matchday two, Newcastle in November and Southampton on Boxing Day - however they continue to ship goals, with only the four teams below them in the table conceding more than the 47 they’ve allowed so far.
What the managers say
Arteta: “I see an opportunity for us to keep winning and keep on our journey to the goal that we want at the end of the season, which is to win [the title]” he said in his pre-match press conference. “That’s the only thing we can focus on.
“We have to do our job and it’s going to be a tough one tomorrow against West Ham. If we do that, we’ll be looking at that game on Sunday. With 13 games to go there’s still a lot to play for. I don’t like “ifs” in football or sport. Let’s do what we have to do, and if the “if” comes right, great, but let's make sure that what is in our hands, we do it.”
Potter: "Arsenal are a top team, but I think it’s a good game for us in terms of responding to the disappointment last week, and we’re looking forward to it. They’ve got some injuries, but my experience tells me that there’s never a good or bad time to play a team like Arsenal. Whoever plays, they’re going to be extremely competitive.
"Generally, the players have applied themselves in a really positive way. I think there’s been a bit of a change in behaviour and intensity in terms of how we’re playing and training, and that is a step-by-step process. There have been a lot of positives since I came in, but clearly results-wise we have a lot of improvement to do."
Team news
It has been confirmed that Takehiro Tomiyasu will join Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus on the sidelines for the remainder of the season after he had knee surgery to try and solve the problems that have plagued him throughout the campaign.
That leaves Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli as our other current injury victims, as they attempt to come back from their hamstring issues.
Vladimir Coufal missed the loss to Brentford last weekend with the same problem and remains our, while Lucas Paqueta limped out of a training session this week with an ankle injury and won't recover in time.
Niclas Fullkrug’s stop-start season currently sees him sidelined with hamstring trouble, which is also the same problem for Crysencio Summerville who will be unavailable until April. Meanwhile, Michail Antonio is out for the season with a broken leg sustained in a car accident.
Talking tactics
Adrian Clarke, writing in the official matchday programme: Potter likes to experiment with different formations, but he is showing some tactical restraint by using only 3-4-2-1 or 4-2-3-1. Following a disappointing showing using a back four against Brentford, I envisage a return to a three-man rearguard which will naturally slip into a back five out of possession.
There are signs of Potter's passing style being implemented. West Ham have made over 500 passes in a Premier League match just three times in 2024/25, but two have come in their last four outings. While I would expect us to have the lion’s share of the ball, our London neighbours will be encouraged to keep it with confidence when possession changes hands.
Their gameplan is still likely to revolve around using the pace of Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus to maximum effect. Kudus completes more dribbles than anyone else in the top-flight individually, and West Ham are statistically the best dribblers in the division. Runs into the box from midfielder Tomas Soucek will also need to be monitored closely as the tall Czech has netted twice from 11 headed efforts.
Right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been largely outstanding, with just two players making more interceptions than him across the division. The ex-Manchester United man is also a great outlet for them inside the opposition half, but on the flip-side, no team has had to face more shots from fast breaks than the east Londoners (36), who have conceded five times from those situations. Navigating the early stages will also be a priority for the visitors, who have shipped 10 times inside the opening 10 minutes of games.
Facts and stats
We have won 37 Premier League games against West Ham – we’ve only beaten Everton (38) more often in the competition, while it’s the most defeats the Hammers have suffered against one club.
West Ham last won on our turf in consecutive campaigns in 2005/06 and 2006/07, when they became the last team to beat us at Highbury and the first to do so at Emirates Stadium.
We have won 6-0 and 5-2 in our last two Premier League meetings with West Ham – the only team to score 5+ goals in three consecutive games against an opponent in the competition are Liverpool (vs Norwich between 2012 and 2013).
Only against Middlesbrough (4 between 1930 and 1932) have we scored 5+ goals in three consecutive league meetings, while West Ham have only conceded 5+ in three straight league games against Aston Villa (1930-1931).
We are unbeaten in our last 15 Premier League games, our longest run since 16 between December 2010 and April 2011. We are also unbeaten in 15 home league games, last having a longer run between August 2018 and April 2019 (16).
We have scored more goals from crosses than any other side in the Premier League this season (13). However, just 8.5% of West Ham’s goals conceded this term has come from a cross (4/47), with only Brighton having a lower share (7.9%).
Only Bournemouth (12) and Fulham (11) have scored more Premier League goals via substitutes than us (9) this season, with four coming in our last three games.
Graham Potter has won three of his four games at Emirates Stadium. Only Pep Guardiola (8) and Jurgen Klopp (6) have won more as a visiting manager, while his 75% win rate is the highest of any away manager with 3+ games.
Against no side has Gabriel scored more Premier League goals than against West Ham (3), with all three being headers from set pieces.
Leandro Trossard has had a hand in four goals in his last four Premier League starts against West Ham (3 goals, 1 assist).
Match officials
Craig Pawson has been handed his second call-up for an Arsenal game this season, following the 0-0 draw with Everton back in December. That ended a run of seven straight wins under his watch which stretched back to March 2022. Included in that run was the famous 6-0 success at the London Stadium a little over 12 months ago.
That was the last time the Hammers have tasted defeat when he’s been in charge. Since then they’ve won three times, including a 2-0 success at Newcastle in November. He averages 4.2 yellow cards per game, has awarded three penalties and sent off two players in the Premier League this term.
Referee: Craig Pawson
Assistants: Simon Bennett, Dan Robathan
Fourth official: Andrew Kitchen
VAR: Peter Bankes
Assistant VAR: Nick Hopton
Previous visits from the Hammers
The east Londoners are seeking back-to-back away league wins against for us the first time since April 2007. Their last visit was a few days after Christmas in 2023, and after Soucek converted a Bowen cross that seemed to drift out of play, Konstantinos Mavropanos headed in a corner. Only a late David Raya penalty save denied Said Benrahma making it three and giving the scoreline an even-more lopsided feel.
Before then we had won each of the last eight meetings at Emirates Stadium. On Boxing Day 2022, Benrhama had been successful from the spot, before strikes from Saka, Martinelli and Eddie Nketiah saw us recover to win 3-1, while the previous season Emile Smith Rowe and Martinelli grabbed goals either side of Coufal’s sending-off and Alexandre Lacazette’s penalty miss.
Live coverage
Tune into Arsenal.com and the official app from an hour before kick-off where Nicole Holliday and Jeremie Aliadiere will be Live from N5!
They will be joined by TV presenter and huge Gooner Roman Kemp, as well as actor Kola Bokinni of Top Boy and Ted Lasso fame, while Theo Walcott sets a challenge for our supporters and Jeremie at the adidas Goalzone on Oxford Street.
There will be a chance to win a 2024/25 home shirt, we'll take you back on the road in Away Days: Leicester, Frimmy is out and about with our Question of the Day while our supporters in the new-look studio try to guess What Happens Next.
Then when the game gets underway, live commentary from Dan Roebuck and Adrian Clarke will keep you up-to-date and informed as we aim to collect another valuable three points.
You can also find out which broadcasters are showing the action live, wherever you are in the world.
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