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Arsenal host West Ham on Saturday looking for their fifth-straight Premier League win as they look to cement their Champions League charge.
The Gunners can cap a good week with victory over the Hammers after they beat Manchester United at Old Trafford on Monday to book their place in the semi-finals of the FA Cup.
Arsene Wenger's men have put themselves at the head of the pack chasing the top two, and now sit only four points behind second-placed Manchester City ahead of the weekend's games.
The visitors, meanwhile, have lost eight successive Premier League matches against Arsenal and have not won a top-flight fixture since their victory over Hull in the middle of January.
Team news
Arsenal midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain faces up to a month out with a hamstring injury.
Midfielder Mathieu Flamini is back in contention for Saturday's match against West Ham after a hamstring problem.
Club captain Mikel Arteta (ankle) is set to step up his rehabilitation, as is defender Gabriel (hamstring), but Jack Wilshere (ankle) is still a few weeks away from a return.
West Ham are without James Tomkins for their trip to London rivals Arsenal after the defender dislocated his shoulder in training.
West Ham are without James Tomkins for their trip to London rivals Arsenal after the defender dislocated his shoulder in training.
The Hammers could also be without three of their first-team strikers. Carlton Cole (hamstring) and Andy Carroll (knee) are definite absentees whilst Enner Valencia is struggling to be fit having suffered a severe cut to his toe after standing on a broken teacup.
Winston Reid will miss out with a hamstring complaint, on-loan Carl Jenkinson cannot feature against his parent club and Alex Song (knee) could also be sidelined - although fellow midfielder Morgan Amalfitano is back having served a three-match ban. Sixteen-year-old defender Reece Oxford could be included in the squad as cover.
Opta facts
Theo Walcott has scored five goals and set up three more in his last four Barclays Premier League games against West Ham, while Olivier Giroud has scored four goals in his four Premier League appearances against the Hammers.
West Ham have won none of the last 13 top-flight matches against Arsenal (W0 D2 L11), losing the last eight in a row.
The Hammers have scored the first goal in four of the last five Premier League meetings with Arsenal, but the Gunners have come back to win on each occasion.
Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 12 Premier League London derbies at the Emirates, but West Ham were the first team ever to beat Arsenal at their new stadium back in April 2007.
Sam Allardyce has never coached a winning team away at Arsenal in the Premier League, losing seven and drawing three of his 10.
Arsenal have won seven consecutive home league games; they have not won eight in a row since November 2005 (13).
Merson's prediction
West Ham have hit a bit of a bad run and this time of year Arsenal are very reliable. It was good to see Danny Welbeck score for Arsenal at Manchester United but I think they’ll play Olivier Giroud in this game and he can score first in a 3-0 win.
MERSE PREDICTS: 3-0
Here we go... up the Arse
looks like the good news is already starting to pile up before the game...
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“Enner has had an accident at home and has cut his big toe quite severely on a broken cup,” said Allardyce. “It has been stitched. We are not sure if he will be considered for this game. It was a freak accident.
“Our lack of goalscoring power is a worry. Not having alternatives to use is concerning going into the last ten league games.”
West Ham will also be without Carl Jenkinson against Arsenal because the right-back is ineligible to face his parent club.
I've always wondered... since you're not allowed to bet on the games you play in and aren't supposed to interfere in other teams'... 'stuff' - how is it legal that a club is allowed to embargo their loan players from playing against them?
If you liked the player enough... don't loan 'em out.
If you don't want them playing against you - don't loan 'em out to a team in the same division.
Seems pretty simple to me
Anyway... we're dropping so far down the table that it looks like the Euro places are completely out of reach... and even the top ten is starting to look a little shaky...
Oh well.
Up 'n' at 'em boys!!!!
