Premier League: Gunners Must Beat Hammers to Stay on Top

Arsenal vs West Ham United

Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal made it to the summit of the Premier League for Christmas Day, just as they did last season; and now the Gunners’ quest is to stay there, starting with a visit from David Moyes’ West Ham on Thursday.  

The Arsenal vs West Ham betting odds reckon this is a home win, pricing the hosts at 1.31; but nothing is ever simple in the Premier League. Arteta’s side come into the game on the back of a breathless 1-1 draw away to Liverpool while West Ham made easy work of Manchester United, beating the Red Devils 2-0 to move up to sixth in the league table. . 

Liverpool and Aston Villa are both a single point behind the Gunners, and they play away to Burnley and Manchester United on Boxing Day. So there’s still plenty of Christmas action for SBOTOP football fans to enjoy, and Premier League: Arsenal vs West Ham is the pick of the lot. 

Talking Points

Rice meets his old mates  

After avoiding defeat in Liverpool the Gunners are top of the Christmas table and that made them the Festive Number One for the second season in succession. But they are not as far ahead as this time last year, when they had picked up a whopping 50 points from their first 19 games, and the most they can achieve this time around is 43. Even after such a phenomenal first half of the 2022/23 campaign, Arteta couldn’t hold off his old boss, Pep Guardiola, as Manchester City coasted to the title.

This time around the Gunners have a more resilient look about them. They love to play on the front foot but, against Liverpool, Arsenal toughed it out with centre backs Gabriel and William Saliba outstanding. And just in front of the defence sits West Ham old boy Declan Rice who is fast becoming Arsenal’s most influential player. As a box to box midfielder he has the ability, much like Gunners legend Patrick Vieira, to get hold of a game and dominate; dictating the pace of play and launching devastating attacks, pulling the strings for Arsenal’s creative array of forwards. 

Arteta’s team is tougher with Rice in the set-up and his former club knows just how good he is at both ends of the pitch. He’ll be a pivotal figure in the 11 which will face West Ham and the Arsenal boss will probably only make one change, replacing the suspended Kai Havertz with Leandro Trossard.   

Bowen is Hammers’ new main man

West Ham’s clash with Manchester United brought them a fifth win in seven league games as well as consigning the Red Devils to an eighth Premier League loss of the campaign. And it was attacking midfielder Jarrod Bowen who broke the deadlock when he latched onto Lucas Paqueta’s lofted pass to beat Andre Onana. That was Bowen’s 11^th goal of the campaign and, at 27 years of age, he looks set to have his best season yet since arriving at the London Stadium in 2020. He has pace to burn, great ball control and, now that he has upped his goal per game ratio, surely England manager Gareth Southgate will be taking notice. Alongside the quicksilver Mohammed Kudus, who scored the second against the Red Devils to make it three goals in his last three home games, Bowen is a constant threat, and his old buddy Rice will be keen to ensure he sees as little of the ball as possible.

While the Hammers have been in great form at home, they have struggled a little more on the road and, in their last two away games, they were spanked 5-0 by Fulham in the league and 5-1 by Liverpool in the Carabao Cup.        

History

With 37 wins to nine the Gunners have enjoyed this fixture in the Premier League era; and last season they beat the Hammers 3-1 at the Emirates. But the most recent meeting ended in a 3-1 win for Moyes’ boys in the Carabao Cup fourth round. 

While the Gunners have the better head to head Arsenal vs West Ham results, the Hammers  have (very) slightly better recent form in all competitions, with four wins and two losses from the last six, while Arsenal have won three, drawn two and lost one. 

But Arsenal have won seven and drawn two of their home games this term and West Ham are winless on their last eight trips to the Emirates. 

Betting Tip

At 6.76 to win and 4.71 to draw this is a tough task for the Hammers but they are an unpredictable team and they will pose a threat. But I suspect Arsenal’s home form, West Ham’s recent away woes and the Gunners’ world class line-up, now with Rice included, will see Arteta’s team stay at the top of the table. 

 

●●●

CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS

Stay updated with everything sports and betting.

Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.