Arsenalvs.West Ham

The Gunners trumped Leicester City 2-0 last weekend thanks to a super-sub performance from Mikel Merino, who bagged a brace off the bench after replacing the ineffective Raheem Sterling.

With Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz out for the season and Sterling a shadow of the player he once was, Merino is surely the next best thing in the number nine slot, and Arteta may very well make that change from the first whistle on Saturday.

Merino occupying the centre-forward's slot would see Leandro Trossard shift out to the left - where he provided the assist for the Spaniard's second at the King Power - while the electric Ethan Nwaneri continues on the right flank.

Declan Rice will once again come face-to-face with his former employers in the left eight position, as Thomas Partey and Martin Odegaard complete the Arsenal engine room.

Riccardo Calafiori may have played his way into Arteta's thinking, having played a key part in Merino's second goal last weekend, but Myles Lewis-Skelly - who made an even more pivotal intervention at the other end to prevent a certain Leicester goal - is unlikely to lose his place.

Ben White should only be considered for minutes off the bench too, meaning that Jurrien Timber, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes will continue in front of David Raya as ever.

Arsenal possible starting lineup:

Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Nwaneri, Merino, Trossard

Written by

Ben Knapton