FA Cup semi-finalists Arsenal welcome West Ham United to the Emirates Stadium this weekend as they return to Premier League action after their impressive quarter-final success against Manchester United on Monday evening.
The two London rivals come into Saturday’s tie in contrasting league form, with the Gunners having won four consecutive games to propel them into a chase for second spot, whilst the Hammers have no win in six to leave them suddenly looking over their shoulders at the bottom half of the table.
After a positive start to the season to keep the Irons faithful off his back, Sam Allardyce’s sides 2015 form has dipped dramatically with only three wins, including one on penalties, from 13 games in all competitions since the turn of the year, that saw them emphatically dumped out of the FA Cup and has seen them spiral away from the Premier League European positions.
The North Londoners in contrast are possibly saving their best form for the crucial Champions League chasing run-in. Their only blot on recent league form was the ineffective display in a 2-1 loss at North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur; however a run of seven wins from their last eight Premier League fixtures has seen them climb to third, as they lay just four points behind Manchester City in second.
Gunners fans will not need reminding of their previous result coming into their latest London derby, after a 2-1 FA Cup quarter-final win at Old Trafford on Monday evening. Danny Welbeck was inspired as his opportunistic strike on the hour mark sent his present employers on their way to a fourth visit to Wembley within a year, whilst diminishing any chances of his former employers taking any silverware for a second successive season.
It has been 10 days since either side last appeared in the Premier League with Arsenal coming out on top in another London derby at Loftus Road against Queens Park Rangers. Olivier Giroud and an overdue strike from Alexis Sanchez gave the Gunners a 2-1 victory to solidify their current league position of third.
Like their Saturday afternoon hosts, West Ham faced an all-London derby last time out as they welcomed top-of-the-table Chelsea to Upton Park. An early Eden Hazard header gave the Blues a 1-0 win, whilst consigning the Hammers to just one league win in their last 11 Premiership outings.
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger will likely revert back to Colombian shotstopper David Ospina for the visit of the Hammers on Saturday, as Wojciech Szczesny continued his current status as ‘cup goalkeeper’ last time out. After a goal and impressive performance on Monday evening, Nacho Monreal will hope to keep his place in Arsenal’s back four over Englishman Kieran Gibbs, whilst new-signing Gabriel’s injury sustained against Everton will keep Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker at the heart of the North Londoners defence.
Another of Monday’s quarter-final performers and match winner, Welbeck, should warrant a start somewhere along the Gunners frontline, as Giroud, with seven goals in his last 11 games, will likely return at top to combat West Ham’s physical presence. Furthermore, Welbeck’s inclusion looks likely considering another unfortunate injury sustained to the ever-impressing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on Monday night.
Theo Walcott and Aaron Ramsey continue to patiently wait from the bench, and with Mesut Ozil, Santi Cazorla and Francis Coquelin continuing to perform for Wenger’s team at present, the British duo will likely start from the sidelines again this weekend, unless their French boss decides to rotate ahead of their crucial second leg, last 16, Champions League tie at Monaco.
Hammers boss Allardyce will be without Carl Jenkinson for their trip to North London, as the right-back is ineligible to play against his parent club. Irishman Joey O’Brien could deputise for the Gunners loanee, in likely the single change within a settled Irons backline, including league ever-presents, ‘keeper Adrian and left-back Aaron Cresswell.
Defensive Midfielder Alex Song will hope for a recall to the starting lineup against his old club, following his start from the bench in West Ham’s previous fixture against Chelsea, whilst elsewhere in the midfield Stewart Downing will be a troubling presence for the Gunners backline after notching five goals this campaign. Additionally Cheikhou Kouyate will add extra steel and aim to secure a double against the North Londoners this season, after netting in the reverse fixture between the two sides back in December.
With only four goals in their last seven games in all competitions, Allardyces’ biggest headache for this weekend’s encounter is his frontline, as this week Ecuadorian international and five goal Enner Valencia sustained a freak foot injury whilst at home to rule himself out of Saturday’s tie at least. With Andy Carroll a long-term absentee, recent free-agent signing Nene or Carlton Cole could fill Valencia’s void, although the Irons will have top league goalscorer, with nine, Diafra Sakho to call upon in the forward line.
The last time the two clubs met was at the back end of 2014 and at the start of the Irons current poor run of league form. Goals from Cazorla and Welbeck gave the North Londoners a two goal lead, whilst a Kouyate header in reply was not enough for the Upton Park contingent, as Arsenal ended 2-1 victors.
December’s reverse tie in the league is a common theme over recent seasons between the two sides as Wenger’s team have won their last eight league games against West Ham, with the Hammers last tasting a win against Arsenal, 13 league meetings ago back in 2007, although at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners will kick-off Saturday’s meet in confident mood following on from their FA Cup success and previous league form, however Wenger will be aware, regardless of recent form in his favour, of the threat an Allardyce team and this more expansive West Ham side can pose.