A daunting task awaits new West Ham manager Nuno Espírito Santo as he takes his Hammers side to the Emirates to face Arsenal, the Gunners are riding high after a strong week and will be eager to keep up the pressure in the title race, while West Ham look to build on a battling start under their new boss, SoftFootball reports.
Mikel Arteta’s side are full of momentum following a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory over Newcastle last weekend, a result that underlined their title credentials. Arsenal then followed it up with a professional 2-0 win over Olympiacos in the UEFA Champions League.
Sitting just two points behind leaders Liverpool, the Gunners could temporarily leapfrog into top spot if they secure another victory here. Their record at the Emirates is formidable, with 29 wins from their last 42 Premier League home matches . Yet, caution is required: two of those rare defeats came at the hands of West Ham.
For Nuno, his tenure at West Ham began with a solid 1-1 draw away at Everton, despite having just two days to prepare. The performance brought signs of resilience, something fans have long demanded. While the Hammers have historically struggled in London derbies losing more than any other side their recent away form is encouraging. They’ve lost just one of their last five Premier League road games with all ten of their most recent points coming away from home.
History adds spice to this clash, as West Ham have won on their last two visits to the Emirates. If they pull off another upset, they’d become only the second club ever to win three straight Premier League away games against Arsenal.
Team News
Arsenal will again look to Gabriel Magalhães, whose dramatic late header secured victory at Newcastle. The Brazilian defender has enjoyed this fixture, netting a joint-career high of three goals against West Ham. Arsenal have no fresh injuries so far.
Interestingly, Arsenal good start to the Premier league season as saw one of its own players nominated for the player of month, Arsenal via its official X handle, confirmed that Spanish midfielder Martin Zubimendi has been nominated for the PL player of the month for his incredible and consitent performance for the gunners, a form they will be hoping the player replicates on saturday against West Ham, see statement below;
For the visitors, Jarrod Bowen is the man to watch. He scored the winner in last season’s corresponding fixture and has been directly involved in a goal on each of his last three Emirates appearances . However, West Ham will be without Tomáš Souček through suspension, and James Ward-Prowse does not figure in Nuno’s immediate plans so far.
Possible lineups
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Gyokeres, Eze
West Ham United possible starting lineup:
Areola; Walker-Peters, Mavropanos, Kilman, Diouf; Magassa; Bowen, Fernandes, Paqueta, Summerville; Fullkrug
Westham has had a rough start to the league this season which prompted the teams hierachy to sack Graham Potter as the coach of the side and appoint Nuno espirito santo as the new headcoach hoping he will turn things around for them, Westham via its official X handle, shared an exclusive video of the new manager first time in the teams dugout, see video below;
SoftFootball’s Prediction
Arsenal’s form and home record make them strong favourites, but West Ham’s recent history at the Emirates cannot be ignored. Expect the Gunners to dominate possession, yet Nuno’s side may have opportunities on the counter. Still, with the title race heating up, Arsenal’s quality should be enough to secure the win.
Prediction: Arsenal 2-1 West Ham
