West Ham vs Arsenal – News and Probable Lineups

On Sunday, the London Stadium will host a crucial Premier League fixture as West Ham United takes on Arsenal, with both teams having differing aspirations this season.

Following a disappointing 3-0 loss to Brentford last weekend, West Ham’s fate is now out of their control, while Arsenal is still in pursuit of an ambitious double achievement.

Match overview

Critics have voiced their opinions about Arsenal’s path to the Champions League final, facing teams like Bayer Leverkusen, Sporting Lisbon, and Atletico Madrid, but the significant point is that Arsenal has indeed made it to the final.

Bukayo Saka’s energetic performance secured the crucial goal in Tuesday’s 1-0 win over Atletico, marking Arsenal’s first Champions League final appearance in 20 years, and potentially setting them up for a first major European title in nearly 140 years.

In Budapest, they face a significant challenge against Paris Saint-Germain, which will also determine if their double ambition can be realized or remains a distant dream.

Nevertheless, with a five-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League and three matches left, Arsenal is edging closer to being crowned champions, despite City having a game in hand.

Victories against Newcastle United and Everton have put Arsenal in a solid position, and they will lift the trophy if they win their last three games against West Ham, Burnley, and Crystal Palace, who are focused on the Conference League.

Despite managing only one win in their last five away outings, Arsenal leads the league with 27 goals from set pieces, particularly advantageous against a team known for their weaknesses in defending dead-ball situations.

While West Ham United do not hold the record for conceding the most goals from set pieces in the 2025-26 Premier League, they stand second with 23 goals conceded, including a division-high 15 from corner situations.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side let in another set-piece goal last weekend when Igor Thiago converted a penalty, which was compounded by Dinos Mavropanos’s own goal and Mikkel Damsgaard’s strike in what turned out to be a difficult derby.

Ending their three-match unbeaten streak was disappointing enough, but Tottenham Hotspur’s victory at Aston Villa the following day made it an even worse weekend for the Hammers, who now find themselves below the relegation zone.

With Tottenham not playing again until Monday against Leeds United, West Ham has the opportunity to escape the drop zone with an upset win over Arsenal on Sunday, supported by their solid home record against the Gunners.

Indeed, Santo’s team has gone unbeaten in their last six home fixtures, along with Bournemouth and Manchester City, but they have conceded a staggering 11 goals in their last two encounters with Arsenal at the London Stadium.

Team News

Arsenal head coach Arteta mentioned in his pre-match press briefing that there are no new injury issues, although Mikel Merino (foot) and Jurrien Timber (groin) remain unavailable for the foreseeable future.

By keeping the same starting XI that triumphed over crisis-hit Fulham, Arsenal found success during the week, and with ample recovery time approaching the season’s end, Arteta may opt for consistency here.

The reinvigorated Myles Lewis-Skelly has taken over the midfield role from Martin Zubimendi, while Viktor Gyokeres stands out with nine goals in his last 12 Premier League appearances, more than any other player in that period.

Arsenal appear to have a clean bill of health, while West Ham has all players fit, as Santo confirmed on Friday that his entire squad is available once more.

The home manager may consider making some changes, such as bringing in Aaron Wan-Bissaka for Kyle Walker-Peters and Callum Wilson for Pablo, but the team’s core will likely remain intact.

Despite struggling to score in 11 league matches, captain Jarrod Bowen has provided eight assists during this time, including seven in his past six top-flight games at the London Stadium.

West Ham United probable starting XI:

Hermansen; Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Disasi, Diouf; Bowen, Fernandes, Soucek, Summerville; Wilson, Castellanos

Arsenal probable starting XI:

Raya; White, Saliva, Gabriel, Calafiori; Rice, Lewis-Skelly; Foot, Eze, Trossard; Gyokeres

Having conceded just a single goal in their last four matches, Arsenal has rediscovered their robust defensive form at a crucial juncture and is poised to neutralize a West Ham side lacking a genuine attacking threat.

While a repeat of the 6-0 from the 2023-24 season or the 5-2 from the 2024-25 season is unlikely, Arteta’s side can certainly capitalize on West Ham’s vulnerabilities from set pieces as they edge closer to potential victory.