Buoyed by a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Newcastle, Arsenal will look to overtake Liverpool in top position when they face West Ham United in the local derby. The Gunners are seen as hot favourites to win Saturday’s game, but they will have to prove their worth on the field. Mikel Merino is widely expected to sneak into the starting eleven after scoring as a substitute against the Magpies, while all Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, Noni Madueke, and Piero Hincapie remain in the recovery room. The Hammers, on the other hand, are stuck in the relegation zone with only four points on their account. West Ham did well to hold Everton to a 1-1 draw at Goodison Park, but they will have a mountain to climb against the title hopefuls. In their last meeting at Emirates Stadium, West Ham shocked Arsenal, meaning that Mikel Arteta’s men are hungry for revenge. Both Thomas Soucek (suspension) and Aaron Wan-Bissaka (abdominal injury) are out of contention for the visiting team.
