SportFootballThe Gunners look to extend their lead at the top of the table following the World Cup break
Arteta insists potential new Arsenal striker needs to be the right fit
The Premier League’s Boxing Day action concludes with leaders Arsenal welcoming West Ham to the Emirates as both teams get their domestic campaigns back up and running. The big question is whether Mikel Arteta’s Gunners can maintain the form that put them five points clear of Manchester City at Christmas time.
Gabriel Jesus’ knee injury whilst playing for Brazil could prove costly for Arsenal and the striker isn’t expected to feature this evening although they are boosted by the returns of Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu.
West Ham have similar but worse problems as both of their main strikers, Michail Antonio and Gianluca Scamacca, are nursing injuries leaving David Moyes under-resourced at the front of the pitch which should play into Arsenal’s favour.
Victory would send Arsenal eight points clear at the top of the table whilst the Hammers could draw further away from the relegation zone by collecting three points of their own.
Follow all the action from the final Premier League outing on Boxing Day below, following the conclusion of Aston Villa vs Liverpool:
1672087365Arsenal 0-1 West Ham39 mins: A quick free kick from West Ham inside their own box gets chipped up to Michail Antonio who spins away from William Saliba to collect the ball.
He drives it to the box then hooks a shot wide of the near post.
Michael Jones26 December 2022 20:42
1672087252Arsenal 0-1 West Ham36 mins: Chance! Bukayo Saka evades a tackle from Aaron Cresswell and sends the ball inside. Odegaard and Partey combine before giving the ball to Nketiah on the left side of the box.
The forward rolls the ball onto his right foot and shoots but Craig Dawson gets the block in and Fabianski pounces on the loose ball.
Michael Jones26 December 2022 20:40
1672086998Arsenal 0-1 West Ham33 mins: There’s a bit of bite to West Ham now that they’re in front. Bukayo Saka is a little slack in getting back to help out the defence which allows Aaron Cresswell to get forward on the overlap.
He’s given the ball by Said Benrahma before flicking one into the box. Aaron Ramsdale thinks he can get there but gets shoved by Michail Antonio and wins Arsenal a free kick.
Michael Jones26 December 2022 20:36
1672086682Arsenal 0-1 West Ham30 mins: That goal is just West Ham’s fourth away goal of the season and it’s a big one. They now have something to hold onto although it’s too early for the Hammers to go into their shell.
Arsenal are behind and will need to fight back if they want to get something out of this game.
Michael Jones26 December 2022 20:31
1672086566GOAL! Arsenal 0-1 West Ham (Benrahma, 27’)⚽️27 mins: Said Benrahma bangs his penalty straight down the middle and West Ham take the lead against the run of play!
That goal could have big ramifications on the table if Arsenal fail to respond.
Michael Jones26 December 2022 20:29
1672086481Penalty to West Ham!Arsenal 0-0 West Ham
24 mins: Craig Dawson flicks the ball down the right side of the pitch and gets the ball up to Michail Antonio. He spins away from William Saliba and slides the ball inside to Jarrod Bowen.
Bowen dribbles into the box and is clipped by the lunging Saliba which throws him off his stride. Bowen goes down and the referee points to the spot.
VAR is taking a look though.
Michael Jones26 December 2022 20:28
1672086331Arsenal 0-0 West Ham23 mins: Chance! Ramsdale throws the ball up to Granit Xhaka who shifts it up the pitch and sends Eddie Nketiah sprinting in behind.
The striker carries the ball to the edge of the box and shoots but Thilo Kehrer is back in time to leap in front of the effort and get the block in.
Michael Jones26 December 2022 20:25
1672086256Arsenal 0-0 West Ham20 mins: West Ham will be happy that the game is still level. Arsenal have piled on the pressure but have lacked a ruthless edge in front of goal.
Aaron Cresswell swings a corner into the box that gets cleared as far as Said Benrahma. He cuts to the right and fizzes and right-footed effort at goal that doesn’t cause too many problems for Aaron Ramsdale.
Michael Jones26 December 2022 20:24
1672086151Arsenal 0-0 West Ham17 mins: An Arsenal corner comes swinging into the box and Fabianski is quickly off his line to boot the punch the ball away.
Partey is first to it outside the box and nods it back into the middle but Antonio clears the danger before West Ham are awarded a free kick.
Michael Jones26 December 2022 20:22
1672085978Arsenal 0-0 West Ham14 mins: Arsenal don’t seem to have lost any of their edge due to the World Cup break. Martin Odegaard slips a dainty pass into the box for Granit Xhaka’s deep run but Xhaka’s first touch knocks the ball too close to Lukasz Fabianski who scoops up the ball.
Michael Jones26 December 2022 20:19
