Arsenal face West Ham looking to turn up the pressure on title rivals Liverpool. After Liverpool were held to a draw at Aston Villa on Wednesday, Arsenal can cut their lead at the top of the Premier League to five points before the leaders travel to Manchester City on Sunday.
The Gunners are missing a number of key attacking players due to injury but Mikel Arteta knows this is a huge opportunity for his side as they bid to hunt down Liverpool. On what could be a big day in the title race, Arteta has made a big decision and started Mikel Merino as a makeshift striker after his two goals off the bench at Leicester last weekend.
West Ham have managed just one win in five Premier League games since Graham Potter took over last month and the Hammers have been weakened by the loss of star man Lucas Paqueta, who suffered an ankle injury in training this week. Follow the game LIVE below with Standard Sport’s dedicated match blog!
Arsenal vs West Ham latest
- Kick-off: 3pm GMT | Emirates Stadium
- GOAL! Bowen heads West Ham in front
- RED CARD! Lewis-Skelly sent off for Arsenal
- Team news: Merino starts for Arsenal
- How to watch
Odegaard: Big blow
17:26 , Giuseppe MuroArsenal captain Martin Odegaard speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "Big blow. The performance today wasn't good enough. Really disappointed.
On why Arsenal struggled: "I don't know, we lacked a bit in final third efficiency. We have to see the game back and analyse it but it wasn't good enough."
On injuries up front: "We have players missing but we have players here who are good enough and available so we have to focus on that. It wasn't good enough in front of the goal. With the red card, it was tricky as well."
His thoughts on Myles Lewis-Skelly's red card: "I don't know, I haven't seen it again, I don't know."
"We have to keep going, still a long way to go, still many points to play for. We have to strike back in the next one."
Full-time: Arsenal 0-1 West Ham
16:57 , Giuseppe MuroIs that the end of Arsenal’s title hopes?
Arsenal 0-1 West Ham
16:54 , Giuseppe Muro90+6: Chance for Arsenal! But White rifles a shot inches wide. Is that their last chance?
Arsenal 0-1 West Ham
16:51 , Giuseppe Muro90+4 mins: West Ham have a chance to kill the game on the counter but Kudus gets it all wrong.
Arsenal 0-1 West Ham
16:49 , Giuseppe Muro90+2 mins: Trossard shoots over the bar. Frustration is growing around Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal 0-1 West Ham
16:49 , Giuseppe Muro90 mins: Into EIGHT minutes of stoppage time.
Arsenal 0-1 West Ham
16:47 , Giuseppe Muro88 mins: West Ham are defending solidly. No real signs of life from Arsenal.
86 mins: Final throw of the dice from Arteta, who brings on White for Saliba.
Arsenal 0-1 West Ham
16:44 , Giuseppe Muro83 mins: Sterling hits the wall, it breaks to Odegaard who tees up Gabriel but he shoots high over the crossbar. Chance gone.
Arsenal 0-1 West Ham
16:41 , Giuseppe Muro82 mins: Arsenal win a free-kick in a good position, 20 yards out in a central position…
Arsenal 0-1 West Ham
16:39 , Giuseppe Muro81 mins: Change: Sterling for Nwaneri, who has found things difficult this afternoon. Ferguson is on for Bowen for West Ham
Arsenal 0-1 West Ham
16:38 , Giuseppe Muro79 mins: Arsenal win a free-kick in a crossing position… but Odegaard decides to take it short and Arsenal go back to Raya. Home fans shown their dissatisfaction. Time is running out.
Dom Smith at Emirates Stadium
16:37 , Giuseppe MuroThat feels like the right call, however far away from goal it was. Lewis-Skelly is the last man, with Saliba too far across to stop Kudus and Bowen if they get free and run at the out-of-goal Raya. A shame for young Lewis-Skelly, but the right call. This comeback just got a whole lot harder for Arsenal to mount.
Arsenal 0-1 West Ham
16:3675 mins: Arsenal didn’t look like scoring with 11 men, now they’ve got to find two goals with 10 men. West Ham are looking very comfortable since the red card.
Red card: Myles Lewis-Skelly
16:32 , Giuseppe Muro72 mins: Lewis-Skelly is sent off for bringing down Kudus on halfway, with no covering defender and Raya miles out of his box. Lewis-Skelly gave the ball away and panicked. Things have gone from bad to worse for Arsenal.
Arsenal 0-1 West Ham
16:29 , Giuseppe Muro70 mins: Into the final 20 minutes and Arsenal are still being frustrated by West Ham. Are their title hopes fading away?
Arsenal 0-1 West Ham
16:25 , Giuseppe Muro65 mins: Arsenal are trying to turn the screw, they’re having a lot of possession but West Ham are holding firm so far.
Arsenal 0-1 West Ham
16:23 , Giuseppe Muro63 mins: Areola is tested for the first time this afternoon! Trossard forces the West Ham goalkeeper into a good save with his legs. Still 1-0.
Arsenal 0-1 West Ham
16:20 , Giuseppe Muro61 mins: West Ham change. Mavropanos on for Todibo.
Dom Smith at Emirates Stadium
16:19 , Giuseppe MuroJust like the first half, it's constant pressure from Arsenal, but their attacking options are so weakened and so they're really struggling to do anything with the possession they have.
Arsenal 0-1 West Ham
16:18 , Giuseppe Muro60 mins: Arsenal win a free-kick in a crossing position. Trossard whips it in and Merino flicks wide. Into the final half-hour.
Arsenal 0-1 West Ham
16:15 , Giuseppe Muro55 mins: Double change for Arsenal. No Sterling… it’s Zinchenko and Lewis-Skelly on for Rice and Calafiori.
Arsenal 0-1 West Ham
16:14 , Giuseppe Muro54 mins: Chance for West Ham! Cresswell sends a brilliant ball across the face of goal and Bowen is inches away from making it 2-0.
Arsenal 0-1 West Ham
16:10 , Giuseppe Muro50 mins: It’s been pretty sloppy so far from Arsenal in the second half. The longer this goes on the more frustration is going to build.
Arsenal 0-1 West Ham
16:08 , Giuseppe Muro48 mins: Arsenal need a big second half here. No sign of anything changed yet. West Ham looking comfortable.
Arsenal 0-1 West Ham
16:03 , Giuseppe Muro46 mins: Back underway. A huge 45 minutes coming up in the title race.
Credit to West Ham, whose gameplan has worked to perfection so far. They’ve frustrated Arsenal and looked dangerous on the break.
Dom Smith at Emirates Stadium
15:57 , Giuseppe MuroFootball has a funny way of doing that, and West Ham lead. Bowen started the counter and finished it off, too. Arsenal's centre-backs suspect there. What a moment for West Ham.
Arsenal have not really tested Areola so far. Arteta must be temped to make a change for the second half but he is not blessed with great options on the bench.
Half-time: Arsenal 0-1 West Ham
15:52Arsenal's hopes of cutting Liverpool's lead at the top have taken a blow.
The Gunners are a goal down at the break.
GOAL! Arsenal 0-1 West Ham | Jarrod Bowen 44'
15:44 , Giuseppe MuroA big goal in the title race… and Arsenal are behind!
It’s another good counter attack by West Ham, Wan-Bissaka does brilliantly down the right and crosses for Bowen to head home and stun Arsenal.
West Ham lead.
Arsenal 0-0 West Ham
15:43 , Giuseppe Muro41 mins: Arsenal have been pretty ponderous in attack. Odegaard fires miles wide from the edge of the area which sums things up for Arsenal so far.
Arsenal 0-0 West Ham
15:40 , Giuseppe Muro36 mins: Arsenal are struggling to break down West Ham’s defensive block. Bowen blocks a shot from RIce and West Ham clear.
Dom Smith at Emirates Stadium
15:38 , Giuseppe MuroFor all Arsenal's dominance, no one could say they've done a good job of limiting Tomas Soucek's aerial threat. The Czech has just won his third header in the box and was practically unchallenged as he did so.
Arsenal 0-0 West Ham
15:36 , Giuseppe Muro33 mins: Chance for West Ham! Soucek with another header and again he can’t direct his effort on target. Soucek knows he should do better there.
Arsenal 0-0 West Ham
15:34 , Giuseppe Muro31 mins: After a bit of a lull in the game, West Ham are now looking the more dangerous side and some frustration is setting in among the home fans.
Arsenal 0-0 West Ham
15:32 , Giuseppe Muro28 mins: For all their possession, Arsenal are definitely missing a forward. They are just lacking cutting edge.
Arsenal 0-0 West Ham
15:29 , Giuseppe Muro26 mins: Chance for West Ham! Wan-Bissaka bursts down the right and picks out Bowen, who is in acres of space inside the area but scuffs his shot wide.
Arsenal 0-0 West Ham
15:25 , Giuseppe Muro23 mins: Arsenal have got their tails up. More pressure but it comes to nothing.
Dom Smith at Emirates Stadium
15:24 , Giuseppe MuroReally good try by Calafiori, who didn't think about it - just hit it. Surely the Gunners' intense pressure is going to tell eventually. It's been one-way traffic since the match started, and here we are, still level, with a quarter of the game gone.
Arsenal 0-0 West Ham
15:24 , Giuseppe Muro21 mins: Chance for Arsenal! Calafiori shoots straight at Areola from the edge of the area.
Arsenal 0-0 West Ham
15:22 , Giuseppe Muro20 mins: Merino is getting into good positions and gets away a shot, but fires over.
Arsenal 0-0 West Ham
15:20 , Giuseppe Muro17 mins: Chance for West Ham! Soucek beats Gabriel in the air but heads just over.
Arsenal 0-0 West Ham
15:17 , Giuseppe Muro13 mins: Arsenal are starting to turn the screw now. They’re well on top.
Dom Smith at Emirates Stadium
15:16 , Giuseppe MuroKilman a very lucky boy there. Completely misses Trossard's ball into the box. Fortunate that Merino isn't there to prod home. Arsenal comfortably on top.
Arsenal 0-0 West Ham
15:16 , Giuseppe Muro11 mins: Chance for Arsenal! Rice clips the ball towards Merino, Kilman completely misses the ball but there’s nowhere there to capitalise for Arsenal.
Arsenal 0-0 West Ham
15:13 , Giuseppe Muro9 mins: West Ham are well organised and Arsenal are struggling to break them down.
Arsenal 0-0 West Ham
15:10 , Giuseppe Muro7 mins: It’s gone a bit flat now. Chants from the West Ham fans of 'you should have signed for a big club' aimed at Rice.
Arsenal 0-0 West Ham
15:07 , Giuseppe Muro4 mins: Good pressing from Merino, who charges down Areola and forces the West Ham goalkeeper into rushed pass that wins Arsenal a thrown in high up the pitch. It comes to nothing but it’s been a lively start from Arsenal.
Arsenal 0-0 West Ham
15:05 , Giuseppe Muro3 mins: Arsenal have started the better of the two teams. It feels like they’re going for West Ham early here.
Dom Smith at Emirates Stadium
15:04 , Giuseppe MuroA nice, cohesive press in the opening exchanges from Arsenal, who just won the ball back through Saliba after the front three plus Odegaard pushed West Ham's defence further and further back.
Arsenal 0-0 West Ham
15:03 , Giuseppe Muro2 mins: Arsenal have set up as expected with Merino through the middle, Nwaneri on the right and Trossard on the left.
Kick-off!
15:00 , Giuseppe Muro1 mins: Underway in north London…
The players are in the tunnel. Hare’s a reminder of the two teams at Emirates Stadium..
Arsenal XI: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Partey, Rice, Odegaard, Nwaneri, Trossard, Merino
Subs: Neto, White, Tierney, Lewis-Skelly, Zinchenko, Kiwior, Jorginho, Butler-Oyedeji, Sterling.
West Ham XI: Areola, Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Cresswell, Scarles, Ward-Prowse, Soucek, Alvarez, Bowen, Kudus
Subs: Fabianski, Soler, Mavropanos, Guilherme, Ings, Rodriguez, Emerson, Ferguson, Irving
Mikel Arteta has warned Arsenal about looking beyond West Ham today, ahead of tomorrow’s huge game between Liverpool and Manchester City.
Arteta said: “We have to do it today. It is the Premier League, it is about what you do in the moment.
“Can you earn the right to be better than the opposition? If we do that, we will be very close to winning the game.”
Arteta explains Merino decision
14:41 , Giuseppe MuroMikel Arteta has been speaking ahead of kick-off and the Arsenal manager has explained his decision to start Mikel Merino up front.
Arteta said: “He did really well [last weekend], won the game for us in that position.
“He felt comfortable, the team felt comfortable with it.
“We are going to have to try various players in various contexts. We are going to have to be flexible.”
West Ham players are out for their warm-up...
Let’s go. pic.twitter.com/YH7b96TcEs
— West Ham United (@WestHam) February 22, 2025
West Ham will kick-off down in 16th place and 10 points above the bottom three.
The Hammers are unlikely to get dragged into a relegation battle but they cannot afford to coast to the end of the season.
A reminder of the situation at the top of the Premier League.
Liverpool have an eight-point lead over Arsenal but have played a game more than the Gunners.
Win today and Arsenal will be five points behind Liverpool, who are away against Manchester City in a huge game at the Etihad Stadium tomorrow.
The scene is set in north London...
Matchday in N5 ⚡️
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) February 22, 2025
🤝 @eToro pic.twitter.com/RR0lqRyrlR
Dom Smith at Emirates Stadium
14:08 , Giuseppe MuroIt's certainly a brave move from Arteta to change tack again and select Mikel Merino up front, but there is certainly good reason for the decision.
Merino was the hero off the bench in a 21-minute cameo against Leicester last weekend, and his all-round game was impressive for a player so unused to playing in the attack, let alone as a focal-point No9.
Keeping Leandro Trossard in the team perhaps allows some positional flexibility between himself and Merino, but the Spaniard will be the main man.
Having made it count off the bench, now to do so from the start this afternoon.
For West Ham, 19-year-old Ollie Scarles makes his first Premier League start.
His only previous start for the Hammers came in the FA Cup.
James Ward-Prowse also comes into the team for his first West Ham start of the season, having returned from his loan spell at Nottingham Forest.
So Mikel Merino starts as a makeshift striker for Arsenal.
Merino scored two goals off the bench as an emergency frontman at Leicester last weekend and comes into the Arsenal team in place of Raheem Sterling, who drops to the bench.
Mikel Arteta has made two changes from the team that beat Leicester.
Riccardo Calafiori comes in at left-back, with Myles Lewis-Skelly dropping to the bench.
Merino starts for Arsenal
13:48 , Giuseppe MuroArsenal XI: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Partey, Rice, Odegaard, Nwaneri, Trossard, Merino
Subs: Neto, White, Tierney, Lewis-Skelly, Zinchenko, Kiwior, Jorginho, Butler-Oyedeji, Sterling.
West Ham XI: Areola, Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Cresswell, Scarles, Ward-Prowse, Soucek, Alvarez, Bowen, Kudus
Subs: Fabianski, Soler, Mavropanos, Guilherme, Ings, Rodriguez, Emerson, Ferguson, Irving
Team news is coming up from Emirates Stadium in the next 10 minutes.
Mikel Merino is on the cover of today's programme, so will he start?
Arteta surprised by Nwaneri
13:28 , Giuseppe MuroEthan Nwaneri is likely to have a key role to play for Arsenal this afternoon.
The 17-year-old has shone in recent weeks and Mikel Arteta says he is developing faster than Arsenal expected.
“It (Nwaneri’s development) is probably much faster than we all expected,” said Arteta.
“I think what is surprising is probably the confidence and his decision-making, especially in ball possession.
“The risks that he takes, the initiative that he takes and how clever he is about ‘ok, what is the situation? If somebody is more open’. I love that in a player and now he needs to do it consistently, every three days.”
Arteta says Arsenal want to give Nwaneri the freedom to express himself on the pitch.
“For sure,” said Arteta. “Especially a player with that talent.
“Get him very, very far from thinking mode, let him express himself. Put him in the environment, put him in the context that he can exploit his qualities as often as he possibly can, surrounded by players that fit his qualities.
“There are certain duties in a collective sport that you have to be able to do, and do with the right timing as well. Because that is essential, especially in football.
“But then they have the freedom to express their creativity within certain spaces, with certain connections that are developed within the team. That are thought and agreed to improve a player’s qualities.”
Arsenal cruised to victory the last time they play West Ham.
In the reverse fixture at the London Stadium in November, the Gunners scored five goals in the first half.
⏪ Last time we faced West Ham...
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) February 22, 2025
Our Gunners put on a show at the London Stadium 🖐️ pic.twitter.com/NDci6WoPK5
White return leaves Arteta with Arsenal selection dilemma
13:10 , Giuseppe MuroNow Ben White is fit again, Mikel Arteta has a selection headache over who to start at right-back.
Jurrien Timber has been one of Arsenal’s most consistent performers and can play on the other flank.
Simon Collings assesses the selection dilemma facing Arteta here.
Antonio could make astonishing West Ham return
13:03 , Giuseppe MuroSome really positive news out of West Ham after it emerged Michail Antonio could be back training with his team-mates next month, in what could be an astonishing recovery from the car crash on December 7 that left him with a broken leg.
It was initially feared Antonio might never play again. But he has been in light training in Dubai and could even return to action this season.
Providing an update on Antonio this week, Graham Potter said: “He’s recovering. He’s been in Dubai and it’s been good for him to get that work in.
“He’s not at that level of kicking a ball yet. It’s just a case of slowly getting back on the pitch in probably a slightly warmer environment than our training ground here in February.”
Asked when he could be back training with the squad, Potter said: “I wouldn’t be thinking anything this side of the international break for sure.”
And what about a Premier League return this season?
Potter said: “I wouldn’t want to put any time on it because it’s not fair on him. We just take it day-by-day and see.”
Arteta: Arsenal ‘really need’ Sterling
12:54 , Giuseppe MuroMikel Arteta has called on Raheem Sterling to rediscover his form to ensure Arsenal keep the pressure on Liverpool in the title race.
Injuries to Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli leaves only Leandro Trossard, Ethan Nwaneri and Sterling as the recognised forwards available.
Sterling has started just four league matches and scored only once this season - in a Carabao Cup win against Bolton at the Emirates in September.
But asked if Sterling could still have a big impact on Arsenal's campaign, Arteta said: “He has to have it because we really need him.
“Raheem is so experienced, and like many other players, we know that what you did yesterday is not whether it was really good or not. That could be relevant to the next game, to the next action. He's fully focused, he's trained really well this week, and he is ready to go again.”
Arsenal vs West Ham stats
12:46 , Giuseppe Muro- Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 15 Premier League matches (W10, D5), their longest such run since 2011
- The Gunners are also unbeaten in 15 home league games, and are the only Premier League team not to lose at home this season
- West Ham have conceded a league-high 10 goals in the opening 10 minutes this season
- The Hammers are yet to keep a clean sheet under Graham Potter, conceding 10 goals in all competitions since he took charge
Arsenal vs West Ham odds
12:38 , Giuseppe MuroArsenal to win: 2/7
West Ham to win: 10/1
Draw: 9/2
Odds via Betfair and subject to change
Prediction
12:30 , Giuseppe MuroArsenal should have too much for a West Ham side who have managed just one win in five Premier League games since Graham Potter took over.
With Liverpool playing Manchester City tomorrow, today is a huge opportunity for the Gunners to put some real pressure on the leaders after they dropped points at Aston Villa on Wednesday.
Mikel Merino showed last week he can give Arsenal a goal threat even until Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli return.
Arsenal to win 2-0.
West Ham team news
12:22 , Giuseppe MuroWest Ham will be without Lucas Paqueta, who is facing another spell on the sidelines after sustaining injury in training this week.
Paqueta had only just returned from a groin injury that saw him miss the defeat to Chelsea at the start of the month.
Graham Potter has confirmed the Brazilian will be missing today and probably against Leicester on February 27.
Vladimir Coufal is still sidelined for the Arsenal game, while Crysencio Summerville remains out until after the March international break.
Arsenal team news
12:14 , Giuseppe MuroMikel Arteta is facing a big decision over whether to start Mikel Merino up front after his brace off the bench as a makeshift striker against Leicester last weekend.
If Merino does come into the Arsenal attack, Raheem Sterling is likely to drop out to the bench.
Ben White is fit again and was on the bench at Leicester.
It was confirmed this week that Takehiro Tomiyasu will miss the rest of the season following knee surgery.
How to watch
12:05 , Giuseppe MuroTV channel and live stream: The game will not be broadcast in the UK.
Free highlights: Match of the Day, however, will show highlights when it airs at 10.30pm GMT on BBC One.
Good afternoon!
12:03 , Giuseppe MuroHello and welcome to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of Arsenal vs West Ham!
A huge day in the title race, as Arsenal have the opportunity to close to within five points of leaders Liverpool before they play Manchester City tomorrow.
We’ll have all the latest updates, build-up and team news ahead of kick-off, which comes at 3pm GMT from Emirates Stadium!
