Arsenal v West Ham Premier League preview
Preview of West Ham's tricky Premier League trip to the Emirates this Saturday to take on Arsenal
The opposition
RULED out of the title race by the media after defeats to Chelsea and Arsenal, the indifferent form of those above them has meant the north London side are back in the hunt.
Coping well without the injured Robin van Persie, the Gunners have found consistency and with in-form Samir Nasri and Andrey Arshavin creating plenty of opportunities for the revitalised Nicklas Bendtner, the West Ham defence are sure to be in for a busy afternoon.
With so many attacking outlets, a lot of pressure is put on defensive midfielder Alex Song Billong and his form, like his compatriots is impressive, so once again a good performance from Scott Parker will be paramount to the Hammers' chances.
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The manager
MANY criticise his lack of spending, his trust in youth and the constant defence of his players, but there is no doubting Arsene Wenger's (pictured above) abilities.
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Without a trophy in four years the Premier League crown would be quite an achievement for the Frenchman.
The signing of Thomas Vermaelen has proved popular, although the lack of cover in defence should be a cause for concern in the last stretch.
Form guide
Arsenal home: LWWWW.
West Ham away: DDLLL.
Arsenal overall: WWWWW.
West Ham overall: WWLLL.
Recent meetings
The two met in the third round of the FA Cup in early January when West Ham looked set for a upset after Alessandro Diamanti gave the Hammers a 1-0 lead at Upton Park.
The now-injured Aaron Ramsey struck back for Arsenal, before a late Eduardo header sealed their passage to the next round.
The two played out an entertaining 2-2 draw at Upton Park in October when late goals from Carlton Cole and Diamanti cancelled out strikes from Van Persie and William Gallas.
