Arsenal vs West Ham United 2021 Premier League Matchday 17

Arsenal Needs to be More Consistent

The Gunners had a very rocky start. They only lost three of their last 10 games, but one of those defeats was against Manchester United, another top-five contender.

Most recently, they crushed Southampton 3-0. Alexandre Lacazette, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel dos Santos were the scorers. That was the fourth time that they finished with a clean sheet over their last seven games. There’s a lot of football to be played, but I think goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale already won a good contract extension.

I said I wasn’t sure about them being betting online favorites because West Ham has been a more consistent team. The Gunners have been considerably better when playing at home thanks to a 6-1-1 record (2-1-5 on the road).

Only defender Sead Kolasinac is out due to injury. Having a healthy roster has been crucial for Arsenal to turn things around. That and the fact that they’re not playing in any international competition. That allows them to focus on the EPL at 100 percent.

Arsenal predicted lineup: Aaron Ramsdale; Takehiro Tomiyasu, Ben White, Gabriel dos Santos, Nuno Tavares; Thomas Partey, Albert Lokonga, Emile Smith Rowe, Martin Odegaard; Alexandre Lacazette, Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang.

West Ham Having Trouble Keeping Pace

West Ham United currently sits in fourth place. That’s better than Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham and Leicester City. Keep in mind that the Hammers have a considerably lower budget.

Yes, the Hammers have had a great season, but they only won one of their last five games. Most recently, they were in control of La vegas odds against Burnley, but the game ended with a goalless draw.

This time, they come in as the underdogs at +235. That’s very tempting because they’ve lost only two of their last eight road games. If you place a $100 bet on the Hammers and they win, your total payout would be $335.

The Hammers are also competing in the UEFA Europa League. In fact, they won Group H with a 4-1-1 record. The continental competition won’t be back until February, so they can focus on the EPL for a while.

I expect West Ham to rely on the counterattack at Emirates Stadium. Michail Antonio and Said Benrahma are perfect for that. Both are very fast strikers and have combined for nine goals.

West Ham United predicted lineup: Lukasz Fabianski; Ben Johnson, Craig Dawson, Kurt Zouma, Aaron Cresswell; Tomas Soucek, Declan Rice, Pablo Fornals, Said Benrahma, Arthur Masuaku; Michail Antonio.

Arsenal vs West Ham United Head to Head

• Previous Matches: 144
• Arsenal Victories: 68 (237 goals)
• West Ham United Victories: 35 (167 goals)
• Draws: 41

Arsenal owns a 7-2-1 record in its last 10 meetings with West Ham United. Last season, the Gunners won 2-1 at Emirates Stadium with goals from Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah. Antonio scored for the visitors. Later, they met at London Stadium and drew 3-3. Arsenal overcame a three-goal deficit thanks to two own goals.

If there’s something you can expect from these two, it’s goals. The total went over in seven of those 10 games.

Arsenal vs West Ham United Game Information

• Date: Wednesday
• Time: 3 p.m. ET
• Location: Emirates Stadium, London
• Arsenal vs West Ham United Live Stream: fuboTV

Arsenal vs West Ham United Betting Lines

Arsenal vs West Ham United Prediction

I have no doubts that this is the best game of Matchday 17. Fourth place might sound mediocre to you, but for an EPL team it means playing in the Champions League. Arsenal has more depth, but West Ham United has more chemistry.

I expect both to score, enough for the total to go over. That’s why our football prediction is a draw with both scoring more than 1½ goals.

Score Prediction: Arsenal 2, West Ham United 2

Pick: Draw (+260)