Arsenal will attempt to get their Premier League campaign back on track on Wednesday evening when they head to the London Stadium to take on city rivals West Ham United.
The Gunners have collected one point from the last six on offer to stutter somewhat in the race for a top-four spot, while their opponents are on a high after beating the defending champions last time out.
West Ham United
© SilverHub
The signs of improvement since David Moyes replaced Slaven Bilic at West Ham last month were there to see, but it was always going to take a big result for supporters to get fully behind their new manager.
An improved atmosphere around the London Stadium to help earn a 1-1 draw against Leicester City, coupled with a valiant display away to Manchester City when being edged out late on, offered hope that United were just about on the right track, even if the frailties of old were there to see at Goodison Park.
Games against Chelsea and Arsenal did not appear likely to help with any sort of momentum Moyes was hoping to build, though, with the Scotsman - a surprise appointment in the eyes of many - once again having to answer some difficult questions in the media.
An early Marko Arnautovic strike in the 1-0 win over Chelsea has certainly got the Hammers up and running under this new regime, however, giving them just their third league win of the season and a first since the end of September.
Now, with games against Stoke City, Newcastle United, Bournemouth and West Bromwich Albion to come after this tricky Arsenal test, Moyes knows that these upcoming fixtures will determine just how this season will likely pan out.
This midweek meeting with Arsenal will certainly not be written off, of course, having already proved what they are capable of in restricting Chelsea at the weekend, lifting the East Londoners up to 18th in the standings in the process.
The safety mark is now within touching distance, with Bournemouth in 16th place only three points out of reach, and Moyes will now be targeting a second big win in the space of four December days.
Victory over Chelsea gave the ex-Sunderland boss his first three-point haul on home soil in the Premier League in 11 attempts - a run stretching back to December 17 last year when in charge of the Black Cats - and a similar outcome on Wednesday will surely lift the Hammers out of the dreaded dropzone.
Recent form in Premier League: LLDLLW
Arsenal
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Four of the current top five dropped points in the last round of fixtures, including Arsenal away to Southampton, setting up what is likely to be another tight race in the battle to hold down a Champions League spot.
Returning to the top four was always going to be the minimum target for the Gunners this term, having missed out in 2016-17 for the first time under Arsene Wenger, though their ultimate aim of finishing top of the pile is now over for another season.
Manchester City's impressive run of 14 successive Premier League wins, equalling the record set by Arsenal 15 years ago, has put them well out of reach of the Gunners and every other pretender - 11 points now the gap on second-placed Manchester United.
Just four points separate Chelsea in third and Burnley in seventh, though, meaning that any slip-up over the festive period could well prove costly, particularly with the Blues and Liverpool both visiting the Emirates Stadium over the next few weeks.
Defeat to Man United earlier this month ended a three-match winning run for Arsenal, halting their momentum just when supporters were beginning to get excited, while Southampton made the most of Sunday's early kickoff - something Wenger took issue with pre-match - to take a 1-1 draw.
Another late Olivier Giroud goal was required on the south coast to prevent the Gunners from slipping to successive league defeats, with early goals proving to be a real problem of late, as pointed out by goalkeeper Petr Cech in the aftermath of the St Mary's draw.
The biggest issue for Wenger right now is rectifying his side's shaky form away from North London, having won just two of eight this term, and going further back they have lost 11 of their last 20 on their travels - a record better suited to a side camped in mid-table.
Conceding 32 away goals in 2017 has not helped on that front - only West Ham (35), Stoke City and Watford (33 each) have shipped more - though to Arsenal's credit they have shown good fighting spirit to rescue a joint-high 10 points from losing positions this season.
Recent form in Premier League: LWWWLD
Recent form (all competitions): LWWLWD
Team News
© SilverHub
Wenger hinted in his pre-match match press conference that he may use the quick turnaround in games as a chance to rotate his squad, with a number of back-up players - Giroud and Jack Wilshere among them - in line for their first league starts.
Shkodran Mustafi is a big fitness doubt, so Rob Holding may be given a chance to impress in a three-man backline, and Aaron Ramsey's injury paves the way for a frustrated Wilshere to come into midfield contention.
German playmaker Mesut Ozil is expected to retain his place in attacking midfield, aiming to build on a record that has seen him score in each of his last three league games against West Ham, while also providing an assist in the last two.
In terms of the home side, Adrian is the strong favourite to start ahead of Joe Hart in goal after keeping just a fourth clean sheet of the season for his side in his second outing.
Moyes has been boosted by the fitness of Javier Hernandez and Andy Carroll in the last few days, but may well stick with a winning formula by using Michail Antonio, Manuel Lanzini and Arnautovic in attack.
Sam Byram, Jose Fonte and James Collins are all absent, meanwhile, and Cheikhou Kouyate is also carrying a slight knock that may restrict his playing time.
West Ham United possible starting lineup:
Adrian; Reid, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Zabaleta, Noble, Obiang, Masuaku; Arnautovic, Lanzini, Antonio
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Cech; Koscielny, Holding, Monreal; Bellerin, Wilshere, Xhaka, Kolasinac; Ozil, Sanchez; Giroud
Head To Head
Arsenal have won 12 Premier League away matches against West Ham United - against no side have they managed more - including a 5-1 victory in the most recent encounter at the London Stadium.
Alexis Sanchez netted a hat-trick in that East London rout 12 months ago, and the Gunners were then comfortable 3-0 winners in the reverse fixture at the Emirates Stadium in April.
West Ham have won just one of their last 19 meetings with Arsenal, in fact, coming on the opening day of the 2015-16 season when they stunned their opponents with a 2-0 away victory - Kouyate and Mauro Zarate scoring either side of half time.
We say: West Ham United 0-2 Arsenal
West Ham may have kept a clean sheet against a lacklustre Chelsea last weekend, but they have still shipped an alarming 32 goals in the Premier League this season. In what is the Hammers' 100th home London derby, a 42nd defeat in games against their city rivals appears the most likely outcome.
Daniel Lewis
