Game Week 7 Predictions: Arsenal to beat West Ham at the Emirates

Preview: Arsenal vs West Ham at Emirates. Gunners on winning streak; Hammers eye revival under Nuno vs set-piece threats. Verdict: Arsenal to win.

Arsenal knows a win could send them into the break as Premier League leaders, will they get the job done against West Ham? (Photo credit: Opta)

 Arsenal vs West Ham

Emirates Stadium

3:00pm

It’s another fixture before the international break, with Arsenal and West Ham nursing different thoughts ahead of a long weekend of no Premier League action.

Three straight wins in all competitions for the Gunners and three straight games without a win for the Hammers suggest that the Gunners wouldn’t want the disruption of the break, while West Ham needs the break to put their house in order under a new manager.

Nuno Espirito Santo is the new man at the helm for West Ham, and he already has a game under his belt, which was the 1-1 draw against Everton; the former Nottingham Forest man has points to prove after his experience at the City Ground, but this might be the wrong game in which to do it.

It keeps getting better for the Gunners. Two late goals to turn things around last weekend at Newcastle, a show of grit and resilience and a testament to the quality in their squad. That was followed by a calm routine win in the Champions League in midweek; it keeps getting better.

Nuno has a lot of work to do, and it starts with the huge test against Arsenal’s set pieces. The majority of the goals conceded by the Hammers so far this season have been from set pieces; facing a team that has scored tonnes of goals from corners and free kicks will always be a challenge.

No one expects West Ham to win this one, but if they can somehow do it or manage to take points off Arsenal, then you can say the ominous signs of potential relegation that hover around the London Stadium will soon dissipate into oblivion under Nuno Espirito Santo.

The Hammers did win at the Emirates last season, but they won’t be able to call on one of their goal scorers on that occasion when they face Arsenal on Saturday, with Tomas Soucek serving the last of his three-match ban. However, Aaron Wan-Bissaka has trained and would be available for selection.

Arsenal’s next five league games appear a lot easier on paper than their previous six, where they had to play Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City and Newcastle; the Gunners would feel they can string results together to catch up with Liverpool at the top.

Bukayo Saka got a goal in the Champions League; he could be immense on Saturday, while Viktor Gyokeres is another player you expect to stake his claims at the Emirates. Eberechi Eze and Martin Odegaard both looked great together against Olympiakos; will Arteta throw them in again?

Verdict: Arsenal to win.