Arteta insists potential new Arsenal striker needs to be the right fit
The Premier League’s Boxing Day action concludes with leaders Arsenal welcoming West Ham to the Emirates as both teams get their domestic campaigns back up and running. The big question is whether Mikel Arteta’s Gunners can maintain the form that put them five points clear of Manchester City at Christmas time.
Gabriel Jesus’ knee injury whilst playing for Brazil could prove costly for Arsenal and the striker isn’t expected to feature this evening although they are boosted by the returns of Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu.
West Ham have similar but worse problems as both of their main strikers, Michail Antonio and Gianluca Scamacca, are nursing injuries leaving David Moyes under-resourced at the front of the pitch which should play into Arsenal’s favour.
Victory would send Arsenal eight points clear at the top of the table whilst the Hammers could draw further away from the relegation zone by collecting three points of their own.
Follow all the action from the final Premier League outing on Boxing Day below, following the conclusion of Aston Villa vs Liverpool:
Arsenal vs West Ham
3 mins: Arsenal have seen more of the ball during these opening minutes with West Ham confident enough to show some physicality and desire to win it back in the middle of the pitch.
Michael Jones26 December 2022 20:05
Kick off: Arsenal vs West Ham
West Ham get the match underway and boot the ball over to the right wing but Arsenal win the aerial ball and take control.
Martin Odegaard receives a pass in midfield then spins towards goal and floats one over to Gabriel Martinelli who fails to keep it in play.
Michael Jones26 December 2022 20:03
Arsenal vs West Ham
The players head out onto the pitch at the Emirates Stadium. Newcastle’s victory over Leicester earlier in the day means that the Gunners only have a four point lead going in to tonight’s match.
They can push that up to seven with a win though.
Michael Jones26 December 2022 19:58
Arsenal vs West Ham
Eddie Nketiah has 10 goals in his last 10 starts at home in all competitions. He starts for the Gunners tonight in the absence of the injured Gabriel Jesus who is recovering from a knee injury.
(PA)
Michael Jones26 December 2022 19:54
Moyes vs Arsenal
David Moyes has lost 17 away games in all competitions against Arsenal, more than against any other opponent.
Defeat would leave West Ham with 10 defeats from their first 16 Premier League games for the first time since the 2006/07 campaign.
Their solitary victory in eight previous Boxing Day matches was 4-1 at Swansea City in 2016.
Michael Jones26 December 2022 19:51
Arsenal vs West Ham
Arsenal are the only side to have scored in every Premier League match this season, while they also have the joint-best defensive record.
That turnaround stems from the coaching of boss Mikel Arteta who, today, marks three years to the day since his first game as manager of Arsenal; a 1-1 Premier League draw at Bournemouth.
Michael Jones26 December 2022 19:48
Arsenal vs West Ham
West Ham are in danger of losing four consecutive Premier League games in a season for the first time since the start of the 2018/19 campaign.
The 11 away league defeats in 2022 is their most in a calendar year since losing 12 in 2013. The Hammers have just one win and three goals from their seven away league fixtures this season.
Michael Jones26 December 2022 19:45
Can Arsenal win the league this year?
Arsenal could equal a club record by winning their first seven Premier League home games in a season. They are on a run of nine straight home league victories dating back to last season.
The Gunners have won 10 Boxing Day home fixtures in a row and are unbeaten in 13 since losing to Nottingham Forest in 1987 and they are top of the table at Christmas for the first time since 2007.
However, they failed to win the title on each of the last five occasions that happened.
Michael Jones26 December 2022 19:42
Arsenal vs West Ham
Arsenal have lost just two of their past 28 Premier League games against West Ham with 21 wins and five draws during that run.
The Hammers have lost 11 of their last 12 league away matches against the Gunners wit the exception being a 2-0 victory on the opening weekend of the 2015/16 season.
This match will also be a third meeting between the two sides on Boxing Day. Arsenal have won the previous two: 1-0 at home in 1998 and 3-1 away in 2013.
Michael Jones26 December 2022 19:39
Arsenal vs West Ham
Reaction to come from Villa Park but the focus now switches to the last game of the day as Arsenal take on West Ham.
Mikel Arteta’s side could end Boxing Day with an eight point lead over the Premier League champions, Manchester City, if they defeat West Ham tonight.
Here’s a reminder of the teams:
Arsenal: Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tierney; Partey, Xhaka; Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli; Nketiah
West Ham: Fabianski; Coufal, Kehrer, Dawson, Cresswell; Soucek, Rice; Benrahma, Paqueta, Bowen; Antonio
Michael Jones26 December 2022 19:36
