Arsenal will be looking to secure their second home win in a matter of days when they host West Ham United at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
It will be a quick turnaround for the Gunners, who are set to play their third match in the space of just six days. After sealing a dramatic 2-1 come-from-behind victory over Newcastle United on Sunday, Arsenal made much lighter work of Olympiacos on Wednesday night with a 2-0 win over the Greek champions in the UEFA Champions League.
Mikel Arteta's men find themselves just two points behind league leaders Liverpool after six matches and can temporarily climb to the summit of the Premier League with a win on Saturday, with Liverpool set to face Chelsea in the later kick-off.
Standing in their way on Saturday is a West Ham side who have certainly had their struggles to start the season. Graham Potter was sacked by the Hammers after losing five of the opening six matches in all competitions to start the season, and he was replaced by Nuno Espirito Santo.
The former Nottingham Forest boss managed to avoid defeat in his first game in charge on Monday night as his West Ham side came from behind to earn a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, although another daunting task now awaits his side on Saturday.
West Ham have lost eight of their last 11 London derbies and will be heavy underdogs against Arsenal, however they have enjoyed playing at the Emirates Stadium in recent years. The Hammers have won on both of their last two visits to Arsenal, including a 1-0 win back in February courtesy of a Jarrod Bowen header which severely dented Arsenal's title hopes.
Team News
Arsenal
Arsenal fans would have been holding their breath when Gabriel Magalhães, the match-winner against Newcastle on Sunday, was forced to be substituted during the win over Olympiacos. However, the injury is not thought to be serious, and Arteta revealed that he is optimistic about the Brazilian's chances of featuring on Saturday.
Fellow defender Pedro Hincapié (groin) is expected to return after the international break, while Kai Havertz (knee), Noni Madueke (knee), and Gabriel Jesus (ACL) are not expected to return until later in the year.
Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze, Declan Rice, and Jurriën Timber all started on the bench on Wednesday night, but are all expected to return to the starting lineup against West Ham.
West Ham
Espirito Santo will still be without the experience of Tomáš Souček in the midfield as the Czech international misses the third and final game of his suspension. Therefore, 21-year-old Soungoutou Magassa is expected to retain his place in the starting lineup after a solid Premier League debut against Everton.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka returned to first-team training earlier in the week after recovering from a stomach issue, and is in contention to feature in some capacity on Saturday.
James Ward-Prowse was a notable absentee from Espirito Santo's first matchday squad, and is also expected to miss out against Arsenal in what appears to be a tactical decision made by Espirito Santo.
Predicted Lineups
Arsenal
Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Zubimendi, Rice, Ødegaard; Saka, Gyökeres, Eze
West Ham
Areola; Walker-Peters, Mavropanos, Kilman, Diouf; Magassa; Bowen, Fernandes, Paquetá, Summerville; Füllkrug
Key Players
Arsenal - Bukayo Saka
After missing multiple weeks of action due to a hamstring injury, Gunners fans will be delighted that Saka is back in the team and back on the scoresheet, especially given the recent injury to his fellow winger, Madueke.
Saka made his first start since returning from injury in the win over Newcastle, and got his first goal back from injury on Wednesday night as he came off the bench and rounded off the scoring against Olympiacos.
Arsenal may well be notorious for their strength in defence, but they are a completely different attacking entity with the 24-year-old in the team. He is undoubtedly one of the Premier League's most creative attacking players, and Arsenal fans will be hoping Saka can now stay fit and get back to his very best as they look to mount the pressure on league leaders Liverpool.
West Ham United - Jarrod Bowen
It has been a torrid start to the season for West Ham who find themselves in the relegation zone, but the one shining light through their struggles has been their captain, Bowen.
The 28-year-old recorded 13 Premier League goals last season, and has picked up where he left off with three goals in his first six league matches this season, including goals in each of West Ham's last two matches against Crystal Palace and Everton.
He was the only goalscorer in a 1-0 win for the Hammers in this fixture last season, and despite boasting one of the best defences in the Premier League, the Gunners will know they will need to keep Bowen quiet if they are to walk away with all three points on Saturday.
Match Details
Where is the game being played?
The match will be played at the Emirates Stadium in London, England.
What time is kick-off?
The match will kick-off at 15:00 BST on Saturday, October 4th, 2025.
How can I watch it?
The match will not be shown live for viewers in the United Kingdom, however highlights from the match will be uploaded to Sky Sports' official YouTube channel shortly after the final whistle.
