Arsenal will look to make it back-to-back Premier League wins on Wednesday evening when they host West Ham United at the Emirates Stadium.
Following the 2-1 disappointment at Everton, the Gunners bounced back with a 3-0 home success over Southampton. Goals from Alexandre Lacazette, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Magalhaes helped Mikel Arteta’s side comprehensively beat the Saints on Saturday.
West Ham, on the other hand, were frustratingly held to a 0-0 stalemate by Burnley at Turf Moor on Sunday. The Hammers dominated large parts of the game but lacked the cutting edge in front of goal to take home all three points.
With an intense battle between Arsenal and West Ham expected at the Emirates Stadium, here we take a look at five key players to watch out for in midweek.
#1 Martin Odegaard—Arsenal
Having scored in three consecutive Premier League games, Martin Odegaard is slowly starting to show his true colours at Arsenal.
The Norwegian playmaker, 22, has come up with goals recently, demonstrating his importance to Mikel Arteta’s side. The onus will be on him to test the West Ham defence with his incisive passing, dribbling ability and movement.
All in all, Odegaard is the most in-form player for the Gunners and will certainly pose the biggest threat to David Moyes’ side.
#2 Alexandre Lacazette—Arsenal
After Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was dropped from Arsenal’s matchday squad against Southampton due to a disciplinary breach, Alexandre Lacazette was handed a rare start to lead the attack. And Lacazette grabbed the opportunity with both hands, opening the scoring in the 21st minute with a rasping shot in the top right corner.
The Frenchman staked his claim with a solid performance against Southampton and will aim to get on the scoresheet again in midweek.
#3 Jarrod Bowen—West Ham
Jarrod Bowen has been one of West Ham’s best players this season. With three goals and four assists in 16 league outings, the tricky winger can cause all kinds of problems to the Arsenal backline.
The 24-year-old is at the top of his game and on his day unplayable, as demonstrated by his performance in West Ham’s 3-2 win over Chelsea last weekend. The Arsenal defenders just cannot afford Bowen time and space in and around the box on Wednesday.
#4 Declan Rice—West Ham
Declan Rice, one of the first names on the team sheet, has been excellent since the start of the season and has contributed heavily in West Ham’s fine campaign uptil this point.
The England international is the heartbeat of Moyes’ side, having formed a strong partnership with Tomas Soucek in the middle of the park. Along with Soucek, Rice will look to disrupt the Gunners’ rhythm and help West Ham during the transitions of play.
#5 Michail Antonio—West Ham
Despite failing to score since netting the winner against Tottenham back in October, Michail Antonio continues to have the trust of David Moyes. He is likely to lead the West Ham attack against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
Blessed with immense pace and power, Antonio is a difficult player to contain on his day. He will be raring to end his goal drought in midweek against Arteta’s side.