Arsenal take on West Ham United in today’s Premier League game at the London Stadium.
The Gunners are currently two points ahead of Manchester City at the top of the table after 35 matches, and can extend their advantage against the Hammers on the road.
Ahead of the encounter, manager Mikel Arteta could make a couple of changes from the 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final.
Piero Hincapie starts at left-back
Gunners left-back Hincapie recently won the club’s April Player of the Month award after a fine run of performances. Riccardo Calafiori has started the last two matches ahead of Hincapie, including 90 minutes against Diego Simeone’s side on Tuesday.
However, there could be a change in the London derby. Hincapie is strong in one-on-one duels compared to Calafiori and could be tasked with keeping Jarrod Bowen at bay. Bowen has 18 goal contributions this term, and Arsenal must nullify his threat from the right wing.
Martin Odegaard returns
Odegaard recovered from a minor knee issue to face Atletico in midweek. The Norwegian ace came on as a second-half substitute for Eberechi Eze in the number 10 position. We anticipate the club captain to be reinstated into the starting XI against Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.
The £30 million ace could have a key role to play against the Hammers’ low defensive block with his intrinsic passes and link-up play with Bukayo Saka. Odegaard has seven goal involvements in just 11 meetings against West Ham. If he starts, Eze could operate from the left wing ahead of Leandro Trossard, who has not scored since the beginning of the year.
West Ham have been a bogey club for the Gunners in the past, with three wins, three losses and one draw in the last seven meetings. However, Arsenal have won 5-2 and 6-0 in their last two trips to the London Stadium and will aim to secure another positive result.
Predicted Arsenal line-up (4-2-3-1) vs West Ham: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Rice, Lewis-Skelly; Saka, Odegaard, Eze; Gyokeres.
Stats from Transfermarkt
