Arsenal host West Ham United in an important London derby with the opportunity to briefly top the Premier League table. The Gunners sit in 2nd place with 13 points, just two points behind Liverpool. West Ham is in 19th position with only 4 points. This fixture presents Arsenal with a golden chance to capitalize on their excellent recent form against struggling opposition that has historically caused them problems at the Emirates.
Match Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Competition | Premier League 2025-26 (Round 7) |
| Date | Saturday, October 4, 2025 |
| Time | |
| Venue | Emirates Stadium, London |
Recent Form Analysis
Arsenal
| Match | Opposition | Result | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premier League | Newcastle | Won | 2-1 |
| Premier League | Manchester City | Draw | 1-1 |
| Premier League | Nottingham Forest | Won | 3-0 |
| Premier League | Liverpool | Lost | 0-1 |
| Premier League | Leeds United | Won | 5-0 |
West Ham United
| Match | Opposition | Result | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premier League | Everton | Draw | 1-1 |
| Premier League | Crystal Palace | Lost | 1-2 |
| Premier League | Tottenham | Lost | 0-3 |
| Premier League | Nottingham Forest | Won | 3-0 |
| Premier League | Wolves | Lost | 2-3 |
Arsenal are in excellent form with just one defeat in their last five games. West Ham’s struggles under Graham Potter led to his dismissal, and new boss Nuno earned a point in his debut.
Head-to-Head Record (Last 5 Meetings)
| Date | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 22, 2025 | Emirates Stadium | West Ham won 1-0 |
| Nov 30, 2024 | London Stadium | Arsenal won 5-2 |
| Feb 11, 2024 | London Stadium | Arsenal won 6-0 |
| Dec 29, 2023 | Emirates Stadium | West Ham won 2-0 |
| Nov 2, 2023 | London Stadium | West Ham won 3-1 |
West Ham have won their last two visits to the Emirates without conceding a goal.
Players to Watch
Arsenal
 |  |  |  |
| Bukayo Saka | Martin Odegaard | Viktor Gyokeres | Gabriel Magalhaes |
- Bukayo Saka: The English winger is set to make his 200th Premier League appearance and scored midweek against Olympiacos.
- Martin Odegaard: The captain looked sharp in midweek and should orchestrate Arsenal’s attacks.
- Gabriel Magalhaes: The Brazilian defender scored the dramatic late winner at Newcastle and will be key to keeping West Ham’s attack quiet.
- Viktor Gyokeres: The striker needs to continue his scoring form to help Arsenal push for the title.
West Ham United
 |  |  |
| Jarrod Bowen | Niclas Füllkrug | Soungoutou Magassa |
- Jarrod Bowen: The captain has scored 5 career goals against Arsenal.
- Niclas Füllkrug: The striker needs to amp up his game if West Ham wants to win.
- Soungoutou Magassa: The defensive midfielder impressed against Everton and will need another strong performance.
Expected Formations
- Arsenal (4-3-3): Mikel Arteta will deploy his preferred possession-based system with attacking full-backs providing width.
- West Ham (4-1-4-1): Nuno Espirito Santo will likely set up defensively, looking to stay compact and hit Arsenal on the counter-attack.
Tactical Insights
Arsenal will dominate possession and look to create chances through their technical superiority and movement in the final third. West Ham must stay organized defensively and avoid being pulled apart by Arsenal’s fluid attacking movement. They’ll need to be clinical on the counter-attack as chances will be limited.
The key battle will be whether West Ham can maintain their remarkable defensive record at the Emirates or if Arsenal’s attacking quality finally breaks through their resistance.
Win Prediction
Despite West Ham’s surprising recent success at the Emirates, their current form is extremely poor. With only 4 points from 6 games and sitting in the relegation zone, they face an Arsenal side in excellent form and hungry for three points.
The Hammers’ defensive record this season (14 goals conceded in 6 games) suggests they’ll struggle to keep Arsenal quiet. Nuno’s arrival may have stabilized things slightly, but facing Arsenal at the Emirates in just his second game is an enormous challenge.
- Prediction: Arsenal 3-0 West Ham United
Arsenal should secure a comfortable victory and briefly move to the top of the Premier League table. While West Ham’s recent record at the Emirates is impressive, their current poor form and defensive fragility makes it unlikely they can extend that run.