The Gunners host the Hammers at the Emirates Stadium in the EFL Cup 17-18 quarterfinals. The Arsenal occupies the 5ª position in the Premier League, adding 33 points in the 18 disputed days. The team of Arsene Wenger comes to this game after breaking a three-game winless streak that began with a tough defeat at home to Manchester United, who defeated them by 1-3. The draws against Southampton (1-1 at St. Mary’s) and precisely West Ham, at London Stadium, have been broken with a victory against Newcastle (1-0).
Valuable winners of the FA Cup and Community Shield, the Gunners miss not playing in the Champions League for the first time in two decades. Pending playing the quarterfinals of the EFL Cup against West Ham and taking on Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup, the goal of the Highbury is to win this Europa League and secure a place in the next Champions League without waiting to be among the 4 best teams in the Premier League to avoid having them happen again.
Eleven Probable: Cech – Bellerín, Koscielny, Mustafi, Monreal, Kolasinac – Ramsey, Xhaka – Ozil, Welbeck, Alexis Sánchez.
West Ham had the worst possible start, being bottom after the first three days, in which he did not score a point, conceding 10 goals and scoring only 2. The victory against Huddersfield Town (2-0) and the draw in his visit to West Bromwich (0-0) gave air to the Hammers, who lost at home to Tottenham (2-3) before winning at Swansea by the minimum (1-0), tied in their visit to Burnley and fell at home by newly promoted Brighton & Hove Albion (0-3) the following weekend. The draw against Crystal Palace (2-2) had no continuation, losing at London Stadium to Liverpool (1-4), a loss that cost Slaven Bilic the spot. Already last year, the Hammers had a bad season, just coinciding with his move to London Stadium. The Balkan maintained his job thanks to the fact that the team ended up avoiding getting into relegation places.
Already with David Moyes on the bench, West Ham lost on Vicarage Road, against Watford (2-0), drew at home with Leicester (1-1), was thrashed at Goodison Park (4-0) and lost by minimum before the City (2-1, with Sterling’s goal in the discount), initiating a clear improvement after defeating the current champion, Chelsea (1-0), draw against the Gunners at home (0-0) and thrashing at Stoke City last weekend (0-3).
Former Austrian striker Marko Arnautovic and Mexican striker Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez have been the two main reinforcements of the Hammers in this summer market, in which they have received two of the Manchester City classics in the last decade: the goalkeeper international Joe Hart, on loan this season, and former captain, Pablo Zabaleta.
Eleven Probable: Adrián – Cresswell, Collins, Ogbonna, Masuaku – Rice, Obiang, Zabaleta, Lanzini – Arnautovic, Sakho.
The 0-0 of just over a week ago is a good reference for a game in which the Gunners are favorites. If Moyes prefers to focus on the Premier League, he may populate reserves to the Hammers. The forecast is that the two teams will not score in this game.
Prediction Today
Both Teams Will Score: 2.00
