Preview: West Ham United vs Arsenal - prediction, team news, lineups

Champions League finalists and former Conference League holders do battle in Sunday's Premier League derby at the London Stadium, where West Ham United host Arsenal.

The Hammers' fate is officially out of their own hands after last weekend's 3-0 defeat to Brentford, while the Gunners continue to dream the double dream.

Match preview

It was only Bayer Leverkusen. It was only Sporting Lisbon. It was only Atletico Madrid. The naysayers have been out in full force since Arsenal progressed to the Champions League final, but what matters most is that Arsenal progressed to the Champions League final.

The spritely Bukayo Saka struck the decisive goal in Tuesday's 1-0 victory over Atletico in the second leg of their semi-final, ending Arsenal's two-decade wait for another UCL final appearance, and potentially soon ending a near 140-year wait for a first top-level European honour.

Mikel Arteta's men must pass a Paris Saint-Germain-sized test in Budapest to stop the 'champions of Europe, you'll never sing that' jibes, by which point Arsenal will also know whether the double is a realistic aim or a mere fantasy.

However, the Gunners could soon reach champions-elect territory in the top flight, thanks to their five-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table with three games remaining, even if the Sky Blues still possess a game in hand.

Thanks to back-to-back triumphs over Newcastle United and Everton - as well as Man City's surprise draw at Everton - Arsenal will be crowned champions if they prevail in three highly winnable final fixtures, against the Irons, Burnley and Conference League-focused Crystal Palace.

A run of one win from five away matches does not exactly stand the Gunners in good stead, but their 27 set-piece goals most certainly do, especially against a team renowned for their dead-ball deficiencies.

While West Ham United have not conceded the most set-piece goals in the 2025-26 Premier League - that unwanted honour belongs to Bournemouth (25) - the Irons have shipped the second-most with 23, as well as a division-high 15 from corners.

Nuno Espirito Santo's side let in another from a dead-ball situation last weekend, as Igor Thiago struck a penalty for Brentford either side of Dinos Mavropanos's own goal and Mikkel Damsgaard's effort in a derby drubbing.

West Ham's three-game unbeaten run coming to an end was painful enough, but Tottenham Hotspur prevailing at Aston Villa the next day capped off a horrific weekend for the Hammers, who now sit below the dreaded dotted line.

As Spurs are not back in action until Monday against Leeds United, West Ham will clamber out of the relegation zone if they can stun Arsenal on Sunday, and their home record suggests that scenario is not beyond the realm of possibility.

Indeed, Santo's side are one of only three Premier League teams to go unbeaten in their last six home matches - alongside Bournemouth and Manchester City - but the hosts have shipped a staggering 11 goals in their last two games with Arsenal at the London Stadium.

West Ham United Premier League form:

West Ham United form (all competitions):

Arsenal Premier League form:

Arsenal form (all competitions):

Team News

Arsenal boss Arteta reported no new concerns in his pre-game press conference, but the Gunners will still be missing Mikel Merino (foot) and Jurrien Timber (groin) for the foreseeable future.

Keeping faith in the same XI from the win over virus-hit Fulham paid dividends for Arsenal in midweek, and with ample recovery time as the season approaches its conclusion, Arteta could stick with the same formula here.

The rejuvenated Myles Lewis-Skelly has - for now - deposed Martin Zubimendi in the middle, while Viktor Gyokeres boasts nine goals from his last 12 Premier League appearances, more than any other player in that timeframe.

Arsenal have a largely clean bill of health, but West Ham have a completely fit contingent, as Santo confirmed on Friday that all of his players are available once again.

The hosting manager should therefore consider an alteration or two, such as Aaron Wan-Bissaka for Kyle Walker-Peters and Callum Wilson for Pablo, but the core of the team should be retained.

Despite going 11 league games without scoring, captain Jarrod Bowen has provided eight assists in that time, as well as seven in his last six top-flight matches at the London Stadium.

West Ham United possible starting lineup:

Hermansen; Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Disasi, Diouf; Bowen, Fernandes, Soucek, Summerville; Wilson, Castellanos

Arsenal possible starting lineup:

Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Rice, Lewis-Skelly; Saka, Eze, Trossard; Gyokeres

We say: West Ham United 0-2 Arsenal

Conceding just one goal in their last four games, Arsenal have rediscovered their defensive steel at the perfect time and should shut out a Hammers side lacking a genuine central threat.

There should still be no repeat of the 6-0 from 2023-24 or 5-2 from 2024-25, but Arteta's men can undoubtedly exploit West Ham's set-piece failings to move one step closer to glory.

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