Arsenal v West Ham LIVE: Premier League result and reaction as Hammers move into top six with shock away win

Arsenal earned a 1-1 draw at Anfield last time out against the Merseysiders, but will now be out to clinch their eighth home win of the season when David Moyes’ side visit the Emirates.

West Ham warmed up for Christmas by beating Manchester United 2-0 at the London Stadium last weekend.

The Hammers responded from their 5-1 drubbing at the hands of Liverpool in the EFL Cup with a comfortable win over the Red Devils to remain in the hunt for European qualification.

However, they have had troubles on their travels, conceding 10 goals in their last two away games, having previously suffered a 5-0 battering against Fulham in the Premier League.

As a result, Arsenal are odds-on favourites at 1/3 with football betting sites to win the game. You can find a price of 9/1 for the Hammers to secure their first away victory since 2015 over the Gunners.

Here are our betting predictions for the contest using the best Premier League odds.

He came off the bench in Arsenal’s Carabao Cup defeat to West Ham earlier in the season but tonight will be the first time that Declan Rice starts against his former side.

Rice made the big-money move across London in the summer and Moyes is pleased how the transfer worked for both parties.

“We’re all pleased for Declan Rice,’ Moyes said. “No one ever doubted his ability and, while we won’t be cheering him on against us on Thursday evening, we’re always looking out for him.

“I said right from the start that I thought Declan Rice was a top player and I thought his value could have been greater. We got the price we wanted though, and Dec got the move he wanted, so it was a move that worked for both parties.

“I think Declan would make any team more mature and improve any team in the Premier League so I think their current levels are partially to do with him right now.”

There is also one enforced change for the Hammers as Kurt Zouma misses out in central defence with a knock. Nayef Aguerd is also still missing so it’s a second-choice pairing at the back as Ogbonna starts alongside Mavropanos.

West Ham XI: Areola; Coufal, Mavropanos, Ogbonna, Emerson; Alvarez, Soucek, Ward-Prowse; Kudus, Bowen, Paqueta

There’s just the one change for Arsenal as the suspended Kai Havertz is replaced by Trossard in central midfield. An attacking change from Arteta, with both Jorginho and Elneny left on the bench.

Rice, as expected, makes his first start against his former club.

Arsenal XI: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Rice, Odegaard, Trossard; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli

Here is how both sides will line up tonight:

Arsenal XI: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Rice, Odegaard, Trossard; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli

West Ham XI: Areola; Coufal, Mavropanos, Ogbonna, Emerson; Alvarez, Soucek, Ward-Prowse; Kudus, Bowen, Paqueta

The confirmed XI’s are just moments away. We’re not expecting many surprises but let’s wait and see...

Mikel Arteta insists Arsenal are prepared to dip into the transfer market in January if his squad remains as “exposed” as in recent weeks.

The Gunners have fared better than some of their Premier League rivals in terms of injuries but are without five players for Thursday’s London derby at home to West Ham.

Thomas Partey, Jurrien Timber, Fabio Vieira and Takehiro Tomiyasu are all still sidelined while Kai Havertz is banned having collected five yellow cards.

At the moment, it is very difficult. We are really short,” he said.

“We have positions that we have been very exposed [in] for the last six weeks and hopefully we are going to get players back. In what condition and when?

“We have certain targets, ideas if things happen. As well, we don’t know how the squad is going to look in two weeks’ time and you have to be always prepared for that.”

Read more about the Spaniard’s transfer thoughts below:

Arsenal are in the same position as they were last year. But they are also in a worse position. And yet, evidently, in a much better state. They are the Premier League’s Christmas No 1, just as they were in 2022. But, with a game to go to reach the halfway stage, they will get there on 40, 41 or 43 points, all well short of the 50 they posted from the first 19 matches last season, and that near-immaculate start still could not propel them to the title.

But Arsenal have improved and upgraded in other respects. “They are really physically strong,” said Jurgen Klopp, a particular compliment considering the priorities that underpin his team-building. Metaphorically as much as physically, Arsenal appear to have three giants in their centre-backs, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, and their defensive midfielder, Declan Rice. “Those three were phenomenal,” Arteta smiled after Saturday night’s 1-1 draw at Anfield.

Rice has become the face of progress, the sign of a new Arsenal: more battle-hardened, more streetwise, more pragmatic.

For West Ham, meanwhile, it was a very Merry Christmas after David Moyes’ side completed a comprehensive 2-0 win over Manchester United. Goals from Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus secured the win to temporarily move the Hammers into the European places once again.

Before we get into tonight’s fixture, let’s take a look at how both sides got on in midweek. For Arsenal, it was a crunch fixture at the top of the table versus Liverpool. And while Mikel Arteta’s side weren’t able to get their first win at Anfield since 2012, a valuable point on the road was more than useful for the north London title challengers.