Arsenal Match Preview

It’s November and West Ham United fans will have fond memories of what happened just over a year ago in their Carabao Cup third-round tie against Arsenal. They beat them 3-1. Can they produce a repeat when Mikel Arteta’s men arrive in East London for the day’s late kick-off?

The clash against the Gunners is the second of three top-flight encounters in the space of just eight days for the East Londoners and Head-Coach Julen Lopetegui will want to see his side build on the 2-0 victory they picked up on Tyneside just five days ago.

There is no doubt that the team will be well prepared and full of confidence ahead of this game and one factor that may work in their favour here is that their opponents had to travel to Portugal and back this week.

The two sides met three times last season and although the Hammers came out on top on two of those occasions, they won’t want a repeat of the 6-0 trouncing handed out by Arteta’s side here back in February and that could happen if the visitors are in full swing.

The ever-loyal fan base will however have hope here though, as they haven’t lost in Stratford since the 3-0 defeat to Chelsea back on September 21. Let’s not forget that they have already beaten one of the Premier League’s “big clubs” in the shape of Manchester United last month.

That result against the Red Devils was the second of back-to-back home victories and although the hosts haven’t had consecutive wins yet this season, they will hope they can pick up another three points here which will stand them in good stead ahead of Tuesday’s trip to The King Power Stadium to take on newly-promoted Leicester City.

Having faced a string of London derbies to start the season, this will be a first for the Irons since losing 4-1 at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the first game after October’s international break.

Edson Álvarez is available again after serving a suspension, while Jean-Clair Todibo had to be replaced after picking up an injury against the Magpies. The French defender will face a late fitness test.

Defender Konstantinos Mavropanos and goalkeeper Łukasz Fabiański will want to feature against their former club, while Carlos Soler will hope to retain his place in the starting line-up, although Guido Rodríguez will be pushing to start.

After scoring against his former club in the 6-0 Gunners’ triumph last campaign, Declan Rice isn’t able to face his former club for a fourth time, due to injury.

Lopetegui will not be on the touchline for this game, as he serves a one-match ban for accumulating three bookings this term.

The match is a 5:30pm kick-off and for the second time this week, coverage will be screened by Sky Sports. All the build-up will begin at 5pm. The referee is Anthony Taylor.