The Gunners hope to close the gap on Liverpool with win over the Hammers. Arsenal host West Ham in the Premier League this afternoon hoping to draw closer to Liverpool in the title race. The Gunners have reignited their title challenge in recent weeks but still trail Arne Slot’s men by eight points after Liverpool drew 2-2 with Aston Villa during the week. Mikel Arteta’s men are unbeaten in 15 league games since a 1-0 defeat to Newcastle at the start of November. They defeated Leicester 2-0 last time out thanks to Mikel Merino’s late double, and the midfielder may be deployed as striker from the start today.
For their part, West Ham lost to Brentford in their last outing and will want to get back to winning ways. Their last league win came in the middle of January and Graham Potter’s side gone four matches without collecting three points. Though the threat of relegation is minor the Hammers will want to end the season on a positive note.
The match is not on TV in the UK but you can follow all the Premier League updates with our live blog below:. Mikel Merino promised to keep doing whatever Arsenal need after overcoming his initial shock at being thrown on as a makeshift striker to score a match-winning double at Leicester last week.
The club’s failure to bring in a striker during the January transfer window was quickly compounded by losing top scorer Kai Havertz to a season-ending hamstring injury. Arteta took the bold decision to bring on Merino in place of Raheem Sterling in the 69th minute and the Spain midfielder responded with an impressive brace that sealed a late 2-0 triumph.
“It was crazy for me to come on the pitch in that position,” Merino told the club’s media team, “It was a really, really difficult game against a good side and the pressure was on us. “But this game is about small details sometimes, about who’s more precise in the last metres.
“We were clinical in those last 20 minutes with me trying to make an impact in the box and with my team-mates just putting in some amazing balls. I said I’m ready to do whatever the team needs me to do. I think I showed it.”. West Ham’s Lucas Pacqueta has been ruled out for “weeks” after an ankle injury in training. Crysencio Summerville, Niclas Fullkrug, Michail Antonio and Vladimir Coufal are also unavailable.
Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus remain sidelined, so Mikel Merino may start ahead of Raheem Sterling in attack. Ben White could make his first start since November after returning from injury but Takehiro Tomiyasu is out of the rest of the season after knee surgery.
Arsenal can close the gap to leaders Liverpool to just five points if they can beat West Ham at the Emirates today. Mikel Arteta’s side salvaged a late win at Leicester last time out, with Mikel Merino deployed as a make-shift striker for the Gunners.
Merino may come into the starting line-up with Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus all out injured. West Ham have lost five of their last seven games as Graham Potter’s side loo to bounce back from last week’s defeat against Brentford.
