Arsenal look to end a nine match winless run in all competitions as they visit West Ham United at the London Stadium in Monday Night Football.
West Ham can move up to 13th with a win whilst Arsenal will go ninth if they can take victory.
Team news
Embed from Getty ImagesMichail Antonio is a doubt for West Ham as he continues to ease back into regular first-team action, following a lengthy hamstring injury.
Winston Reid (fitness), Robert Snodgrass (knock) and Jack Wilshire (groin) are also in contention, as all four face late fitness tests.
Lukasz Fabianski (hip) and Manuel Lanzini (shoulder) are still absent but could return during the festive season.
Arsenal have no fresh injury concerns with Dani Ceballos and Rob Holding still out with respective hamstring and knee injuries.
Stat Attack
- West Ham have lost three of their last five meetings with Arsenal (W1, D1, L3).
- The Hammers have kept clean sheets in their last two home games against Arsenal, having failed to do so in their previous ten clashes across all competitions (W1, D1).
- Arsenal’s Nacho Monreal has scored in two of the last three meetings between these teams.
- Aaron Cresswell is the only West Ham player to have scored a free-kick this season.
- Bernd Leno has made six catches in 15 league appearances this season for Arsenal, matching his total number of catches across the entirety of last season.
Prediction
If I am being honest, this doesn’t look entertaining in the slightest because Arsenal can only play one way at the minute, which was horrifyingly obvious against Brighton on Thursday.
West Ham meanwhile just aren’t strong defensively despite all of their attacking quality, which is worrying under a manager of high quality like Manuel Pellegrini.
I therefore am expecting a repeat of their previous encounter here with West Ham just having that edge.
Prediction: West Ham United 1-0 Arsenal
Result: West Ham United 1-3 Arsenal