Arsenal vs West Ham: The Gunners could be without captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang once again when they host the 4th-place Hammers at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday (Watch live at 3 pm ET, on NBCSN and online via NBCSports.com).
ARSENAL vs WEST HAM STREAM LIVE
Aubameyang was dropped for Arsenal’s 3-0 victory over Southampton on Saturday, with Mikel Arteta confirming after the game that the Gabonese international and captain had been suspended for the violation of a team rule. Given this wasn’t the first time that Arteta himself had made the decision to drop and suspend Aubameyang, it remains unclear whether or not his absence will be for one game or more. It’s a terribly timed tiff as well, considering Arsenal are currently 6th in the Premier League table and looking the best they have in quite some time. For comparison’s sake, the Gunners sat 13th and 9th after 16 games each of the last two seasons.
UPDATE: Arteta announced on Tuesday that not only will Aubameyang be dropped for Wednesday’s game as well, but he has also been stripped of the captaincy. For more details as the situation unfolds, read here.
As for West Ham, David Moyes’ men have won just one of their last five Premier League fixtures and could suddenly find themselves down in 6th by weekend’s end, if they don’t immediately pull out of the nosedive. Sunday’s 0-0 draw with Burnley will have stung for a number of reasons, but chief among them was the unimaginative, bland attacking ideas on display — 16 shots in total, but just three on target. The work rate and defensive desire are still there, but as West Ham continue to win, they earn more respect and become more and more feared, thus causing opponents to scheme differently (more cautiously, perhaps), and that’s giving them problems at one end of the field these days.
[ MORE: How to watch PL in the USA ]
Here is everything you need to know ahead of Arsenal vs West Ham this Wednesday with team news, odds, stream link and more.
Arsenal team news, injuries, lineup (INJURY REPORT)
QUESTIONABLE: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (club disciplinary matter - MORE), Bernd Leno (groin) | OUT: Sead Kolasinac (ankle)
🚨 #ARSWHU team news 🚨
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) December 15, 2021
👊 We’re unchanged from the team that beat Southampton at Emirates Stadium on Saturday
West Ham team news, injuries, lineup
QUESTIONABLE: Aaron Cresswell (back) | OUT: Kurt Zouma (hamstring), Angelo Ogbonna (knee), Ryan Fredericks (groin)
One change tonight ⚒
— West Ham United (@WestHam) December 15, 2021
Here's how we're lining up at the Emirates...#ARSWHU | @betway pic.twitter.com/acPiZ4YQbv
Odds and ends (full odds provided by our partner, PointsBet)
Arsenal (+112) | West Ham (+225) | Draw (+250)
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Prediction
Aubameyang’s absence mattered very little against Southampton, who were an easily-beaten side as soon as the first goal went in, but West Ham won’t be played through and around so easily. It’s too simple to say the game hinges on Arteta’s decision, but it’s not insignificant. Arsenal 1-1 West Ham.
How to watch Arsenal vs West Ham, stream live and start time
Kickoff: 3 pm ET Wednesday
TV: NBCSN
Online: Stream via NBCSports.com