West Ham United’s Struggle for Victory Continues
West Ham United’s recent form has left their fans feeling frustrated and anxious. The team is currently on a winless streak, having failed to secure a victory in their last six competitive fixtures (D4, L2). This disappointing run began after their impressive 2-0 win over Arsenal just before Christmas. Despite their struggles, manager David Moyes remains determined to find a positive outlook for his team, even after their heavy 3-0 defeat to Manchester United in their last Premier League match. Moyes pointed to “mitigating circumstances” as the reason for their recent demise.
One of these circumstances includes the absence of influential players Lucas Paquetá and Mohammed Kudus due to injury and their participation in the Africa Cup of Nations respectively. Despite these setbacks, West Ham United is still in contention for European qualification. Their home form has been particularly strong this season, having lost only two home league fixtures (W5, D4). Furthermore, they are currently unbeaten in their last six Premier League games at home (W3, D3), with four of the last five matches producing under 2.5 goals.
In contrast, Arsenal arrives at the London Stadium in high spirits following their impressive 3-1 victory over Liverpool last weekend. This win has once again marked them as genuine title contenders this season under the guidance of manager Mikel Arteta. However, Arsenal should be cautious as they have failed to win any of their last three head-to-head meetings with West Ham United (D1, L2). This includes a 3-1 defeat in the EFL Cup at the London Stadium in November. Additionally, Arsenal has struggled to maintain consistent performances after significant victories, which has been a cause for criticism. They have only managed to win one of their last four away league fixtures (D1, L2).
The previous five meetings between West Ham United and Arsenal at the London Stadium have seen both teams score (W2, D2, L1). This suggests that the match is likely to be an exciting and closely contested affair. Arsenal will need to do something they have only achieved once in their last four away league games – score more than once – in order to secure a positive result.
There are a couple of players to watch out for in this match. West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen, who scored against Arsenal in their League Cup victory in November, has been in good form. Three of his last four goals have come between the 70th and 80th minute, making him a potential late scorer. Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard is another player to keep an eye on. After scoring against Liverpool, he has netted five of his six league goals for Arsenal after the 55th minute.
A notable statistic to consider is that, prior to the round, only Manchester City had conceded fewer first-half goals at home in the Premier League than West Ham United, who have only conceded three goals in the first half this season.
Despite their recent struggles, West Ham United remains a strong team, especially at home. Arsenal will need to be at their best to secure a positive result. Both teams have shown their ability to score goals in their previous meetings, so fans can expect an exciting and potentially high-scoring match at the London Stadium.