West Ham vs Arsenal prediction: 80/1 Odegaard fancy for London derby

What a difference a couple of weeks can make. Both West Ham and Arsenal have enjoyed a return to form after the November international break, a moment in which key players from both squads found respite from the relentless pressure of club football.

Most notably, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard were given extra time to overcome their injury issues, a factor that is already playing into the Gunners’ uptick in results. The pair were key to the 3-0 destruction of Nottingham Forest last weekend and the brilliant 5-1 win away at Sporting in midweek, a result that suggests the Arsenal title challenge might not be over quite yet.

Mikel Areteta’s men are out to 17/5 on some football betting sites to win the league after falling nine points behind leaders Liverpool (10/11) heading into the weekend and cannot afford any more slip ups after two losses and four draws from their opening 12 Premier League games.

They travel across London to face Julen Lopetegui’s West Ham on Saturday evening (5.30pm, Sky Sports Main Event), a team that finally kickstarted their dismal start to the season with a 2-0 win away at Newcastle on Monday night.

Odegaard was simply sensational in the win over Sporting. His ability to carry the ball and play cutting passes continually pushed the Portuguese side back and never allowed them to gain momentum in front of their fans.

He can sniff out space, bring others into play and keep possession ticking over like nobody else at Arteta’s disposal. At a time when there’s so much conversation around how much Manchester City miss Rodri, the instant quality of Odegaard’s return is a reminder that Arsenal have been operating without their captain and star man for over two months.

Odegaard’s price to contribute isn’t particularly interesting on betting sites unless you back him to completely run the show. He is 80/1 to assist in both halves at William Hill; a price to think about considering how well he lays on chances for Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz. His two assists in three full appearances back feel like the beginning of a spurt of form akin to when he set up 10 goals in the Premier League last year.

West Ham improved last time out and have kept two clean sheets in a row, but Newcastle were guilty of missing decent opportunities, very much a feature of their season. Lopetegui will need his defensive midfielders to completely plug the gap in front of the West Ham box if Arsenal are to be kept from scoring a handful, with Odegaard at the heart of it.

West Ham vs Arsenal prediction 1: Martin Odegaard to assist in both halves - 80/1 William Hill

Saka is very much Odegaard’s partner in crime. Although the Englishman has performed excellently without his mate next to him, there’s an extra zest to his play now he’s back.

This is a player who is capable of isolating the full-back and destroying them in the one-on-one. His control at speed makes him difficult to halt and his decision-making is sharper than it’s ever been, leading to four goals and eight assists in the Premier League already this campaign.

Saka is likely to face up to Emerson, who isn’t the best at stopping threats from wide, meaning he should have plenty of chances to make an impact. While Aaron Wan-Bissaka on the opposite wing would be far more adept at giving Saka a battle, it’s unlikely Lopetegui will flip his team so drastically.

With that in mind, Saka to score the first goal is an interesting option on Premier League betting sites, particularly as half of his top flight goals have opened the scoring this season. Arsenal’s fast starts are returning with a vengeance and Arteta will be keen to catch West Ham cold to stop them building on their critical win against Newcastle.

West Ham vs Arsenal prediction 2: Bukayo Saka first goalscorer - 9/2 bet365

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