Does the Gunners’ home dominance continue?
On Boxing Day, the Premier League comes down to an unequal duel in a London city derby. On one side is Arsenal FC, who currently top the Premier League table and have won their last nine Premier League home games in a row.
And on the other side, West Ham United have lost three league games in a row. Accordingly, betting on a home win for the Gunners is very popular for Arsenal against West Ham.
The Gunners are not only the team of the moment in the Premier League. On Boxing Day, the north Londoners were rarely to be outdone in their own stadium. The prediction for Arsenal against West Ham also goes in the direction of the Gunners because Arsenal are unbeaten for 13 Premier League home games on Boxing Day and have even won all of the last ten of these 13 games.
West Ham United, moreover, travel with a less than fearsome away record. The Hammers have picked up just four points away from home in league action and have already lost eleven Premier League away games in the 2022 calendar year. Accordingly, there seems to be no alternative to betting on a home win for the Gunners, which is what we recommend.
Incidentally, this London derby is one of three London city duels that will take place on Boxing Day in the Premier League.
Arsenal – Statistics & current form
While Arsenal Football Club are not only record FA Cup winners with 14 overall victories, they have also won the national championship 13 times. Since their last triumph in 2004, however, the north Londoners have been waiting for another triumph.
For a long time, the Gunners were also a perennial contender in the Champions League, in which they even reached the final in the 2005/06 season (1:2 against Barcelona). Most recently, however, the traditional club from the Holloway district missed out on qualifying for the top flight six times in a row.
Unbeaten in nine Premier League home games
Never the less, those in charge let coach Mikel Arteta continue to work in peace. And it is precisely this adherence to the Spaniard, who was signed in December 2019, that is bearing fruit these days. In the 2022/23 season, the Gunners finally lead the Premier League table with 37 out of a possible 42 points.
One reason for this upswing is the tremendous home strength of the north Londoners, who have recently won nine Premier League home games in a row. This means that Arsenal have the maximum haul at home at the Emirates Stadium this season.
The best defence in the Premier League
Also responsible for leading the table is the Gunners’ incredibly stable defence. With only eleven goals conceded from 14 games, Arsenal have the best defensive line in the Premier League (together with Newcastle; also eleven goals conceded). Accordingly, the odds are clearly in favour of Arsenal against West Ham.
In addition, the north Londoners have not lost a home game on Boxing Day since 1987 (0:2 against Nottingham Forest). In total, there are 13 Premier League home games on Boxing Day in a row without defeat on record, with Arsenal even winning all of their last ten home games in a row.
Predicted Arsenal line-up:
Ramsdale – Zinchenko – Magalhaes – Saliba – Holding – Partey – Xhaka – Ödegaard – Martinelli – Saka – Nketiah
Last matches played by Arsenal:
Club friendlies
18/12/2022 – Arsenal FC 0 – 2 Juventus FC
13/12/2022 – Arsenal FC (4)2 – 1(3) AC Milan
08/12/2022 – Arsenal FC 3 – 0 Lyon
Premier League
13/11/2022 – Wolverhampton 0 – 2 Arsenal FC
Carabao Cup
10/11/2022 – Arsenal FC 1 – 3 Brighton
West Ham – Statistics & current form
West Ham United have never won the national championship but have three FA Cup victories to their name as well as a European Cup Winners’ Cup triumph in 1965. The Hammers also held on to David Moyes, who took over as coach in London’s East End exactly one week later than Mikel Arteta at the Gunners.
Under the Scot, the Hammers reached the semi-finals of the Europa League last season and finished seventh in the Premier League.
Lost nine of first 15 league games
In the Premier League, on the other hand, the club from London’s East End is currently unable to build on its strong previous seasons. West Ham United have only won four of their 15 league games so far (two draws, nine defeats) and are only one point ahead of the first relegation place in 16th place.
Before the World Cup break, the Irons lost three Premier League games in a row. Accordingly, hopes are high that the interruption will favour a possible turnaround. However, Arsenal’s betting on a point win at the Emirates Stadium against West Ham is not under too good an omen.
Only four points and three goals from seven Premier League away games
This is not only due to the Hammers’ meagre away record, having lost five of their seven away games in the Premier League and scoring just three goals away from home. The Irons’ overall offensive penetration this season is also highly questionable.
This is also reflected in the fact that West Ham do not have a single player in their ranks with more than two Premier League goals to his name. Given that the east Londoners have lost 11 of their last 12 Premier League away games at the Gunners, the task on Boxing Day could hardly be more difficult.
Predicted West Ham line-up:
Fabianski – Cresswell – Zouma – Dawson – Kehrer – Rice – Soucek – Benrahma – Paquetá – Bowen – Scamacca
Last matches played by West Ham:
Friendly club matches
17/12/2022 – Fulham 1 – 1 West Ham
10/12/2022 – Udinese 1 – 3 West Ham
07/12/2022 – Cambridge U 2 – 4 West Ham
Premier League
12/11/2022 – West Ham 0 – 2 Leicester
Carabao Cup
10/11/2022 – West Ham (9)2 – 2(10) Blackburn
Arsenal – West Ham Direct Comparison / H2H Balance
Head to head: 71 – 40 – 35
There have been a total of 146 meetings between the two London teams so far and with 71 victories, almost half of all derbies have gone to the Gunners. Most recently, Arsenal have lost only one of their last 14 competitive matches against the Hammers (ten wins, three draws).
Arsenal – West Ham Tip
When it comes to Arsenal against West Ham, the prediction formally goes in the direction of the home-strong Gunners, who are on a season-long run of nine consecutive Premier League home wins. Most recently, the north Londoners won three league games in a row for a total of 8-0 goals. This compares to the Hammers, who have lost all of their last three league games, are on 11 away league defeats already in 2022 and have scored just three goals in seven Premier League away games in the 2022/23 season.
Adding to that, the Gunners have won eleven of their last twelve Premier League home games against the Irons, while Arsenal are also on ten home wins in a row on Boxing Day. We therefore play tip 1 on.
