Arsenal vs West Ham LIVE: Premier League latest score and goal updates as Mikel Merino starts in attack

Arsenal host West Ham in the Premier League this afternoon hoping to draw closer to Liverpool in the title race.

The Gunners have reignited their title challenge in recent weeks but still trail Arne Slot’s men by eight points after Liverpool drew 2-2 with Aston Villa during the week. Mikel Arteta’s men are unbeaten in 15 league games since a 1-0 defeat to Newcastle at the start of November. They defeated Leicester 2-0 last time out thanks to Mikel Merino’s late double, and the midfielder may be deployed as striker from the start today.

For their part, West Ham lost to Brentford in their last outing and will want to get back to winning ways. Their last league win came in the middle of January and Graham Potter’s side gone four matches without collecting three points. Though the threat of relegation is minor the Hammers will want to end the season on a positive note.

The match is not on TV in the UK but you can follow all the updates with our live blog below:

Arsenal vs West Ham LIVE

Arsenal host West Ham in the Premier League
Gunners hope to close gap on league leaders Liverpool to five points
West Ham haven’t won in four league games under Graham Pottter
Mikel Merino replaces Raheem Sterling and starts up front for Arsenal
Arsenal XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Partey, Rice, Odegaard, Nwaneri, Merino, Trossard
West Ham XI: Areola, Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Cresswell; Scarles, Alvarez, Ward-Prowse, Soucek; Bowen, Kudus

Arsenal FC 0 – 0 West Ham United FC

KICK-OFF! Arsenal 0-0 West Ham

15:00 , Jamie Braidwood

We’re underway at the Emirates! Can Arsenal close the gap to Liverpool to five points?

Arsenal vs West Ham LIVE

14:45 , Jamie Braidwood

Mikel Arteta does not want to rely on Liverpool dropping points in the title race and has told Arsenal to go out and beat West Ham this afternoon.

“We have to do our job and it’s going to be a tough one against West Ham,” he said. “If we do that, we’ll be looking at that game on Sunday. With 13 games to go there’s still a lot to play for and you can see how difficult it is for everybody to win football matches, so we need to be there.”

Arsenal are unbeaten in 15 games in the Premier League, and are the only team not to lose at home this season, but it’s all about wins if they are to catch Liverpool.

Kick-off is coming up at the Emirates.

Mikel Arteta ‘surprised’ by rate of Ethan Nwaneri’s development

14:30 , Jamie Braidwood

Ethan Nwaneri starred in Arsenal’s 2-0 win at Leicester last weekend and Mikel Arteta has revealed the 17-year-old’s development has surprised him this season.

“It’s faster than we all expected,” Arteta said. “What is surprising is the confidence and his decision making, especially in ball possession with the risks that he takes, the initiative that he takes and how he is in the situation when he looks at if there’s someone more open. He just needs to do it consistently every three days.”

Arsenal’s route to Champions League final revealed

14:15 , Jamie Braidwood

Arsenal will face PSV Eindhoven in the last-16 of the Champions League as their route to the final emerged after Friday’s draw.

“We’ve played against them, they’re a really good team, we know that,” Arteta said. “They have experienced it and it will be very difficult like any other Champions League result that we could’ve got or any team, so we know what we’re facing. When you’re at this stage, every team is really good and when the time comes we’ll be ready for it.”

Arsenal’s route to Champions League final revealed

Premier League title race: Who has the best fixtures – Liverpool or Arsenal?

14:00 , Jamie Braidwood

Arsenal have the chance to cut Liverpool’s lead at the top of the table to just five points ahead of their visit to Manchester City tomorrow. Arsenal then go to Nottingham Forest on Wednesday, as Liverpool host Newcastle, in what is a crucial week in the title race.

Asked if there was any difference to battling Liverpool in the title race than Manchester City, Arteta said: “I would prefer to depend on me because when you depend on someone else, there are too many factors. But it feels different. It feels like we can generate the right momentum and convincing yourself that you can do it with the right performances is a big factor because suddenly you feel really strong.”

Liverpool’s fixtures compared to Arsenal’s as title race heats up

Arsenal vs West Ham team news and line-ups

13:54 , Jamie Braidwood

So Mikel Merino starts after his super-sub appearance off the bench against Leicester. He replaces Raheem Sterling in attack, joining Ethan Nwaneri and Leandro Trossard. The other change sees Riccardo Calafiori replace Myles Lewis-Skelly at left back.

West Ham are without Lucas Paqueta due to an ankle injury, so hand a start to 19-year-old midfielder Oliver Scarles. Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus in attack and they will look to stretch Arsenal’s defence, which remains at full strength despite injuries taking out the forward line.

Arsenal vs West Ham team news and line-ups

13:46 , Jamie Braidwood

Arsenal XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Partey, Rice, Odegaard, Nwaneri, Merino, Trossard

West Ham XI: Areola, Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Cresswell; Scarles, Alvarez, Ward-Prowse, Soucek; Bowen, Kudus

Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu out for rest of season after knee surgery

13:35 , Jamie Braidwood

Arsenal have confirmed that defender Takehiro Tomiyasu will miss the rest of the season following surgery on his right knee.

Tomiyasu, 26, has featured just once this term following the injury, which he sustained prior to the campaign starting.

And the Gunners revealed the Japan international will now face an extended period on the sidelines.

Arsenal have endured a number of injury woes this season with Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus both out for the season, and Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli also currently absent.

Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu out for rest of season after knee surgery

Mikel Arteta sends message to Raheem Sterling amid Arsenal struggles: ‘We really need him’

13:15 , Jamie Braidwood

Mikel Arteta has called on Raheem Sterling to rediscover his form to ensure Arsenal remain hot on Liverpool’s heels in the Premier League title race.

Injuries to Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli leaves only Leandro Trossard, Ethan Nwaneri and Sterling as the club’s recognised forwards.

But although Nwaneri, 17, impressed in Arsenal’s win at Leicester last weekend, Sterling was withdrawn after 69 minutes with his replacement, Mikel Merino, scoring a match-winning brace.

Sterling, on loan from Chelsea, has started just four league matches and scored only once this season – in a Carabao Cup win against Bolton at the Emirates in September.

But he could be handed another start in Arsenal’s fixture against West Ham at the Emirates on Saturday.

Arteta sends message to Sterling amid Arsenal struggles: ‘We need him’

Graham Potter’s record against Arsenal

12:55 , Jamie Braidwood

West Ham are not exactly in form, but Graham Potter has won three of his four games against Arsenal at the Emirates – only Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp have more wins as an away manager.

And, West Ham won this fixture last season, beating Arsenal 2-0 at the Emirates on 28 December.

Will Mikel Merino start against West Ham?

12:35 , Jamie Braidwood

Mikel Arteta said that he has not told Mikel Merino whether he will be starting up front today, but did not rule it out either.

“No, not to him or to other players, especially because I want the players, when they’re on the pitch, they’re feeling what they’re doing and taking initiative. I don’t want players thinking: ‘what if tomorrow I have to do certain things?’ That’s why I did it.

“If something that we haven’t done or he hasn’t done in his career to try is called an experiment, that’s it. In the end, it’s trying to fit the qualities that we have within the squad, within the players. We want to deliver and what the game requires and what the opposition requires, I would take it more into that aspect than the other one, but after it has to work. If not, it’s not the right call.”

Mikel Arteta’s ‘crazy’ decision pays off as Mikel Merino proves to be perfect substitute striker

12:15 , Jamie Braidwood

Mikel Merino promised to keep doing whatever Arsenal need after overcoming his initial shock at being thrown on as a makeshift striker to score a match-winning double at Leicester last week.

The club’s failure to bring in a striker during the January transfer window was quickly compounded by losing top scorer Kai Havertz to a season-ending hamstring injury.

Arteta took the bold decision to bring on Merino in place of Raheem Sterling in the 69th minute and the Spain midfielder responded with an impressive brace that sealed a late 2-0 triumph.

“It was crazy for me to come on the pitch in that position,” Merino told the club’s media team, “It was a really, really difficult game against a good side and the pressure was on us.

“But this game is about small details sometimes, about who’s more precise in the last metres.

“We were clinical in those last 20 minutes with me trying to make an impact in the box and with my team-mates just putting in some amazing balls. I said I’m ready to do whatever the team needs me to do. I think I showed it.”

Mikel Arteta’s ‘crazy’ decision pays off as Mikel Merino proves worth as a striker

What is the West Ham team news?

12:03 , Jamie Braidwood

West Ham’s Lucas Pacqueta has been ruled out for “weeks” after an ankle injury in training. Crysencio Summerville, Niclas Fullkrug, Michail Antonio and Vladimir Coufal are also unavailable.

What is the Arsenal team news?

12:01 , Jamie Braidwood

Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus remain sidelined, so Mikel Merino may start ahead of Raheem Sterling in attack.

Ben White could make his first start since November after returning from injury but Takehiro Tomiyasu is out of the rest of the season after knee surgery.