Arsenal return from the World Cup break with a five-point lead at the summit of the Premier League table, as West Ham United visit the Emirates Stadium on Boxing Day.
The Gunners enjoyed a remarkable start to the season, losing just one of their opening 14 Premier League games. Consequently, they are in pole position to clinch the title.
👏 Record start🏟 Home & away form⚽️ Ten different goalscorers 🗞 Behind the numbers of our superb start to 2022/23 👇— Arsenal (@Arsenal) December 21, 2022
👏 Record start🏟 Home & away form⚽️ Ten different goalscorers 🗞 Behind the numbers of our superb start to 2022/23 👇
At the opposite end of the standings, the Hammers find themselves sixteenth – one point outside the relegation zone and 23 points behind Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta’s side have won 12 of their 14 league encounters this term, registering one draw and one loss along the way.
Not only do Arsenal have the second-best offensive record in the division (33), but they also boast the joint-best defensive record (11).
The Gunners head into Monday’s clash on an eight-game unbeaten streak in the Premier League, having claimed seven wins and one draw since their last loss.
Arteta’s men have also lost just five of their previous 32 home games across all competitions, underlining their strength at the Emirates.
As for West Ham, they have only managed to win four of their 15 league outings this season – recording two draws and nine losses in the process.
No team has suffered more defeats than the Hammers this term, while only three sides have scored fewer goals.
David Moyes’ side finished the first phase of the campaign with a three-game losing run, falling to Manchester United (1-0), Crystal Palace (2-1) and Leicester City (2-0).
Having lost four of their previous five Premier League outings, West Ham look destined to struggle against high-flying Arsenal.
Head-to-head: Arsenal are currently enjoying a six-game unbeaten streak in this fixture, having claimed five wins and a draw since their last loss against West Ham.
When you look at the bigger picture, the Hammers have only managed to win one of their past 14 meetings with the Gunners.
Team news: Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus looks set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a knee injury. Oleksandr Zinchenko, Emile Smith Rowe and Takehiro Tomiyasu are also doubts.
West Ham will be without the injured duo of Nayef Aguerd and Kurt Zouma on Monday, while Gianluca Scamacca, Aaron Cresswell, Maxwel Cornet and Michail Antonio are doubts.
When you look at the 23-point gulf between Arsenal and West Ham, all the signs point towards a home win on Boxing Day.
For that reason, Forebet predicts that Arsenal will score over 1.5 goals on their way to dispatching West Ham.