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Arsenal are right back into Premier League action on Wednesday as they host fellow European hopefuls West Ham at the Emirates Stadium in a mouth-watering clash. Here is the match preview.
Returning to winning ways was paramount after successive defeats on the road, and the 3-0 win over Southampton was the near ideal response to their Goodison Park setback.
Clearly still reeling from that 2-1 defeat, a nervy opening 20 minutes unfolded in which Arsenal could not get out of their own half or assume any meaningful possession of the ball. The sloppiness returned and the Saints high press caused all manner of issues.
Plugging away at their approach, a back-to-front opening goal of real class settled the nerves and from thereon in it was fairly plain sailing for the Gunners.
https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/1470004843599495168
Arsenal vs West Ham preview: Top four chasing Premier League clash with Arteta having a decision to make on Aubameyang
As positive as it was securing another clean sheet and showing variance with the goals scored, those are the kinds of matches that Arsenal are supposed to be winning. Especially on home soil. It’s how they fare against the sides in and around them that will shape their season, which makes Wednesday’s game a truer measuring stick.
Drawing a blank at Turf Moor kept West Ham in the top four, but they now sit only two points clear of Arsenal in the Premier League table and just the one point ahead of Manchester United in fifth. Victory over the Hammers would be a huge statement for Mikel Arteta’s side to make having come up short in each of the occasions they’ve faced fellow European chasers this term.
Boasting excellent home form will put them in good stead, yet the quality of opposition faced during that time slightly masks the achievement. They need to be winning these matches to realise their goals this season.
With the inexperience and youthfulness of the team it’s expected there will be further steps back before steps forward. In those situations, having your captain around might help. As it stands, there is no word on whether Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will be back with the team for the game following his disciplinary breach.
The details of the incident have been made known and Arteta has a huge decision on his hands both in regards to his involvement, and perhaps even the captaincy. It’s an unwanted distraction at a key stage of the campaign.
If this showdown required any more spicing up, this saga is doing just that. It’s going to be an invigorating clash.
How to Watch on TV
When Is Kick Off? Wednesday 15 December
What Time Is Kick Off? 20:00 (GMT)
Where Is it Played? Emirates Stadium
TV Channel/Live Stream? BT Sport (UK) fuboTV (USA)
Referee? Anthony Taylor
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Arsenal Team News vs West Ham – Will Aubameyang Be Back for Arteta?
The big selection decision for Arteta to make has nothing to do with form or fitness. Aubameyang’s breach of the rules last week saw him return from a sanctioned trip to France a day later than agreed, which impacted COVID protocols.
Despite arriving to training on time, Arteta has acted on the captain’s failure to return on the Wednesday, prompting major discussions over whether or not he will be back in the squad to face the Hammers.
Even if he is made available, will he be picked?
The rest of the team is looking in good shape, though. Emile Smith Rowe was an unused substitute against Southampton having recovered from a groin strain, but such was the comfort of the performance his services weren’t required.
Sead Kolasinac remains out, and Bernd Leno could be back on the bench having missed out on the previous two matches with a groin issue.
West Ham have been rocked by the injuries sustained to their first choice centre-back pairing, with Angelo Ogbonna out for the rest of the season and Kurt Zouma not due back until mid-January.
David Moyes is also sweating on the fitness of full-backs Ben Johnson and Aaron Cresswell, with the pair missing the 0-0 draw away at Burnley. Elsewhere they’re in good shape, but there is every chance they face a second match in succession without any of their first choice back four.
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Arsenal Predicted Lineup to Face West Ham – No Aubameyang?
Arsenal: Ramsdale; Tomiyasu, White, Gabriel, Tierney; Partey, Xhaka, Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli; Lacazette
West Ham: Fabianksi; Coufal, Diop, Dawson, Cresswell; Soucek, Rice, Bowen, Fornals, Benrahma; Antonio
Arsenal vs West Ham Score Prediction
Every attempt to secure a positive results against the sides in and around them this season has ended in failure. Will this game being at home change that? You sure hope so.
At some point Arsenal have to stop the yo-yoing. While beating the lesser teams is essential and could keep them ticking over into a top six spot, in order to start wrestling some authority in this European hunt they will have to secure wins against team like West Ham. Especially at the Emirates since the away form has been so poor.
The Aubameyang drama is a hugely unwanted distraction, although this team have to be fully focussed on building some momentum having started the past two matches together and won comfortably against the Saints.
Will the captain play? Arteta might not want to break up a winning team, much in the same way he didn’t want to break up a losing team from the Everton loss.
West Ham have been excellent this season but their draw against Burnley was one of their limpest attacking displays for a while. Nothing clicked in the north west and that’s now three away league games in a row without a win.
Once again an opportunity is presenting itself for Arsenal with the possibility of Moyes not being able to call on any of his first choice back four: Cresswell and Johnson are fighting to be fit while Dawson and Diop are certain to be the ones starting in defence. That is a backline to get stuck into.
It’s so hard to predict anything from Arsenal. They’re such a strange team with their performance levels like rolling a dice. There are any number of options ranging from the opening 20 minutes of the Southampton game to the opening 20 minutes of the home win over Aston Villa.
There were too many worrying signs against a poor Saints team and at Everton to be feeling confident.
Score Prediction: Arsenal 1-2 West Ham