What is the story about?
Arsenal are gearing up for a crucial Premier League match against West Ham United at home. The Gunners recently clinched a last-minute victory over Newcastle United and followed it with a 2-0 win against Olympiacos in the Champions League. This successful week has brought them within two points of league leaders Liverpool. A win against West Ham could temporarily place Arsenal at the top before Liverpool's game against Chelsea.Gabriel Magalhaes has been instrumental for Arsenal, scoring the decisive goal at Newcastle. Since his debut in September 2020, he has netted 18 Premier League goals, all from set-pieces, making him the top-scoring defender in this regard. Arsenal's defence has been solid, conceding just three goals this season, matching Crystal Palace for the best record.Martin Zubimendi, who has played in all six league games this season, expressed his desire to improve further under Mikel Arteta. "The adaptation has been good, but I think I can do it better," he stated. He praised the team's support and aims to maintain their winning momentum as they prepare for West Ham.West Ham managed a 1-1 draw against Everton in Nuno Espirito Santo's first match as manager. The team is currently 19th in the standings after a challenging start that led to Graham Potter's dismissal. Nuno acknowledged the difficulty of facing Arsenal but remains optimistic due to their past successes at Emirates Stadium.Jarrod Bowen is a key player for West Ham, contributing to 11 goals in his last 12 Premier League matches. He has scored five times against Arsenal across all competitions, including a crucial goal at Emirates Stadium last season.
A trip to the Emirates on Saturday afternoon pic.twitter.com/DeoePPQ1dg
— West Ham United (@WestHam) October 2, 2025
Historical Context and Match Predictions
Arsenal have lost only four of their last 42 league games at home (W29 D9), with half of those defeats coming from West Ham. Set-pieces have been vital for Arteta’s side; nine of their last 14 league goals were from dead-ball situations. Under Arteta, corners account for 16.7% of their total goals.Despite their struggles in London derbies—losing more than any other team—West Ham have shown resilience away from home recently. They have lost just once in five away matches (W3 D1), collecting all their recent points on the road.Arsenal are favourites with a win probability of 76.7%, while West Ham stand at just 9.4%. The Gunners' current form suggests they are well-positioned to continue their strong run and potentially lead the table after this weekend’s fixtures.Do you find this article useful?
