Arsenal host West Ham in a midweek Premier League fixture. The match should have been played earlier this year but was postponed after a Tube strike in London.

Arsenal v West Ham
Reuters

The Gunners are in need of a league win with their last three fixtures in the competition, yielding only one point. More importantly, Arsene Wenger saw his side slump to consecutive defeats to champions Manchester City and London rivals Chelsea, further emphasising the gap between England's top clubs and the Gunners.

West Ham will be equally desperate for a win, if not more so; the Hammers have not won a game since 1 January. Manager Sam Allardyce has been forced on the backfoot with talk of key midfielder Mohamed Diame leaving to join Arsenal and reports of a split between himself and French midfielder Alou Diarra. And the former Bolton boss will want a good display to ease the pressure on himself and halt the club's slide down the table.

The reverse fixture between the sides, at Upton Park, ended in a 3-1 win, with Olivier Giroud, Theo Walcott and Santi Cazorla grabbing the headlines.

Where to Watch

Kick-off is set for 7.45 pm GMT. Live coverage is available on Arsenal Player on arsenal.com, for registered users.

Overview

The 1-2 defeat to Chelsea over the weekend marked the first time in a year that Arsenal have lost back-to-back games in the Premier League. Worse still, the loss leaves the Emirates club in danger of missing out on Champions League football for the first time in nearly two decades. Wenger has been forced to admit that fact and will be keen for his players to provide a strong reply to critics of the Gunners, whose numbers continue to grow with every unfavourable result.

Arsenal have won only once in January - a 1-0 win over Swansea City in the replay of a FA Cup third round match - and have not won in the league in 2013. The club's home form has been patchy, with only five wins in 10 games (three defeats) and 15 goals conceded (of the teams in the top half of the table, only Swansea have conceded more).

Arsene Wenger
Reuters

West Ham have won only twice in the last 10 games in all competitions, a fact that has greatly contributed to their slide to the relegation zone. The Hammers' away form has been poor so far, with six defeats from 10 games and only five goals scored on the road.

They come into this game with a 1-1 home draw against relegation candidates QPR, something that will not help their confidence. And neither will the fact they have not scored in an away game, in any competition, since Andy Carroll's 82nd minute strike against Spurs.

Team Form

Arsenal

  • Last Five (all competitions, most recent first): L W L D D
  • Last Match: Chelsea 2 - 1 Arsenal

West Ham United

  • Last Five (all competitions, most recent first): D L L D W
  • Last Match: West Ham 1 - 1 QPR

Team News

Arsenal welcome back Lukas Podolski and Alex Oxlade Chamberlain from illness but Mikel Arteta (calf), Francis Coquelin (hamstring), Tomas Rosicky (calf) and Lukasz Fabianski (ankle) are unlikely to be available. French midfielder Abou Diaby will face a late fitness test and Ivorian forward Gervinho is away with his national side in the African Cup of Nations.

Probable Line-Up: Szczesny; Sagna, Vermaelen, Mertesacker, Gibbs; Ramsey, Wilshere, Cazorla; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Walcott, Podolski

West Ham will be without Carroll and George McCartney (both knee) but expect to welcome striker Carlton Cole back. Moroccan forward Marouane Chamakh was a January loan signing from Arsenal but cannot play against his parent club. James Collins (hamstring) is also unlikely to be available.

Probable Line-Up: Jaaskelainen; Demel, Tomkins, Reid, O'Brien; Joe Cole, Diame, Noble, Jarvis; Nolan; Carlton Cole

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