West Ham v Arsenal LIVE: Premier League team news, line-ups and prediction ahead of crucial clash in title race and relegation fight

Bukayo Saka has been involved in more Premier League goals against West Ham than any other opponent, with five goals and four assists coming in his last eight appearances against them.

Arsenal have scored 27 goals from set-pieces, the most in the Premier League this season, as well as 17 from corners.

Meanwhile, West Ham have conceded the second-most goals from set-pieces this season, 23, as well as 15 from corners.

Pep Guardiola shouted “Come on you Irons” as he urged West Ham to slow Arsenal’s title charge after Manchester City kept up the pressure with a 3-0 win over Brentford.

Following goals from Jeremy Doku, Erling Haaland, and Omar Marmoush, Guardiola concluded his post-match press conference with a pointed message ahead of Arsenal’s upcoming game at the London Stadium.

“Dec’s been outstanding for us, he’s one of our leaders, one of the main players without a doubt. And what he’s doing for the club, for the team, is just very powerful,” Arteta said of his midfielder, whose £100m move from West Ham three years ago keeps on looking better and better for Arsenal.

Rice will make his 59th appearance of the season for club and country when he lines up against his former employers on Sunday, having finished runner-up to Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes for the recently announced Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year award.

He scored a stunning strike in Arsenal’s 6-0 win at West Ham a couple of years ago.

“They are a very talented team that is fighting for huge things and achieving huge moments. They have reached the final of the Champions League and are fighting for the Premier League title.

They are a tough opponent, but we are at London Stadium and that always gives us a plus of energy and especially for us, we have to give our all. There is no hiding. Being at home is good for us.

“Especially recently, our fans are giving us extra, so they’ve been really helpful. It’s always nervy in these final games of the season. There’s always anxiety in the games so it is up to us to control our nerves and deliver what we want.”

West Ham are currently enjoying their longest Premier League unbeaten run at the London Stadium. They are unbeaten in six, winning three and drawing there, and last had a longe run in their final season at Upton Park.

Arsenal, though, have won handsomely on their last two visits to the London Stadium. A 6-0 thrashing in 2023/24 was followed by a 5-2 win last season.

In normal circumstances, you would think that West Ham’s best possibility of a result would be to sit tight and frustrate Arsenal. It’s worked well for Nuno so many times this season. It’s been proven to work well in some key games against Arsenal.

And that would be fine if West Ham had enough fixtures left for a point to feel really valuable. But they don’t. They need wins, especially when faced with a resurgent Spurs. At some point, West Ham have to go for it.

And that’s against an Arsenal who look more willing to go for it than at any point over the past four months. How couldn’t they when you consider the boosts that Arteta’s side have enjoyed over the past week alone?

Mikel Arteta believes Bukayo Saka’s “aura” can propel Arsenal to Premier League glory with his side just three matches away from a first title in 22 years.

“Obviously his role has grown around the club, around the team and on the pitch towards the opponent as well,” Arteta said after Saka inspired Arsenal to wins over Fulham and Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semi-final second leg.

“You sense that. He has got a presence now, he has got an aura. He has got something special.

“He is a different player, he is a player that can change a game at any moment. And creating that fear in the opponent is something important.

“It’s been a joy. We know him on a human level. And on the football level, what he has provided to this club, and what he did the other night (against Atleti) was just remarkable.”

Nuno Espirito Santo insists he has given no thought to his future at West Ham whether they are relegated or not.

The West Ham board are understood to want Nuno, who signed a three-year deal when he was appointed in September, to stay on as head coach even if they do go down to the Championship.

“I’m going to be honest with you – I don’t have one second to think about next season,” said Portuguese coach Nuno.

“It’s so demanding what we have, the challenge, especially the game on Sunday, that’s what we have to focus on.

“I don’t have enough energy to think about what’s ahead. It’s tomorrow, then tomorrow, day-by-day.

“All the club, all the staff, the board, the players, the fans, we have our mission. It’s about Sunday and we just focus on Sunday.”

Arsenal’s visit to West Ham on Sunday has the potential to be the most decisive Premier League game of the season, and maybe in the competition’s history, given the potential direct consequences. It could go some way to deciding the title, but also the final relegation spot.

Consider the cascading stakes. If Arsenal win, they will be able to see the trophy. It would leave fixtures against a relegated Burnley and a Crystal Palace preparing for a Europa Conference final three days later. There’s also the possibility of City being affected by a sense of the title drifting away.

On the other side, a West Ham defeat would mathematically secure Leeds United’s survival, the day before Daniel Farke’s side travel to Tottenham Hotspur. It’s impossible not to think Leeds’s intensity would be affected, and Spurs could secure another crucial win. That could be fatal for West Ham. It only ratchets up that pressure.