Arsenal

Matthew Hobbs
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya has been an invaluable asset for the Gunners since joining from Brentford, initially on loan in August 2023.

The 30-year-old has missed just six Premier League games since moving across London to the Emirates, while he's played every single top-flight minute for Mikel Arteta's side since keeping a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw at Manchester City on 31 March 2024.

Along with impressive longevity, Raya's performances have been consistently good.

Since making his debut for Arsenal in a 1-0 Premier League victory against Everton at Goodison Park in September 2023, the Spain international has kept 33 clean sheets – at least six more than any other Premier League goalkeeper during this period.

While Raya's tally of clean sheets has undoubtedly been boosted by keeping goal behind a formidable defence, his shot-stopping ability – sometimes seen as a weakness – also stands up to the best.

His Premier League save ratio currently stands at 70.7% - a record bettered by only three other first choice goalkeepers over the last two-and-a-bit seasons.

Raya also goes the longest of any keeper in between conceding a goal, letting one in every 114 minutes in the Premier League.

Former Manchester City stopper Ederson is second on this list, conceding a goal every 96 minutes, with Liverpool's Alisson third on 84 minutes.

Laura Kirk-Francis
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

When the final whistle went on Saturday, signalling an end to Arsenal's unremarkable 2-0 win over West Ham, there was a palpable sense of relief. This has been a banana-skin fixture for Arsenal in the past two seasons. Both times, the visitors have returned to east London with the three points.

Although Arsenal cruised to victory this time around, the topic of the atmosphere at Emirates Stadium has reared its head once again. Fans have spoken about how flat the crowd felt, particularly given Arsenal's dominant play and the fact the result meant leapfrogging Liverpool to top the league going into the international break.

From where I sit - both literally and metaphorically - it is no surprise that this specific game did not produce a ferocious atmosphere. West Ham, currently 19th in the table, offered no real threat to the Gunners, bar a corner in the first minute of the game.

Arsenal were in control throughout, and hardly needed to get out of second gear to get the win. Forgettable, routine wins are part and parcel of a title-winning season.

On further examination, fans have pointed to a change in how Arsenal administer tickets. In 2023, the club introduced a ballot system, meaning fans have equal chances to buy tickets regardless of how many times they have previously attended. This has largely been dismissed as a cause for the quiet atmosphere, though, as season ticket-holders still make up the majority of the ground.

Some fans also point to the 2022-23 season for when the stadium was at its loudest. But during that time, Arsenal were surprise title challengers. Nobody expected the Gunners to be in the title race, but suddenly they were.

Fast forward three years, and it has naturally become a case of fearing dropped points, rather than celebrating expected wins.

I would love nothing more than the Emirates to be rocking every game, but I do not believe it is a massive failure if the ground is a bit quieter for a 3pm kick-off against a side in a relegation battle.

I will be reserving my judgement of the crowd for November's north London derby.

Find more from Laura Kirk-Francis at the Latte Firm podcast, external

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Real Madrid are unlikely to sanction a January move for Turkey midfielder Arda Guler, 20, despite interest from Arsenal and Newcastle. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

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Image source, Opta

We know what you're thinking: "At this early stage of the season, the title race is just too hard to call."

If only we had access to a supercomputer which could assess the remaining fixtures, crunch the numbers and come up with a percentage chance of each team finishing in each position.

Wait a minute, Opta has that very thing! Phew.

With seven games played, table-toppers Arsenal look to be the most likely champions, with the heavy caveat that there are still 31 games left to play this season.

The numbers are significant though - the Gunners have been given a 44.23% chance of winning the Premier League, while Liverpool are only rated as having a 30.61% chance of defending their crown.

Fifth-placed Manchester City are the only other side in double figures, with a 14.32% chance of winning a seventh title in nine seasons under manager Pep Guardiola.

Alex Howell
Arsenal news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

It is fair to say it has not been the easiest of starts for Viktor Gyokeres, who has not scored for six games after three in his first four, but that does not mean there are not signs to show things will get better.

The striker started the campaign playing catch-up with his fitness after a disrupted pre-season.

Kai Havertz's injury has meant he has been thrust into situations earlier than perhaps planned - it has also meant his relationships with midfielders behind him have been highlighted.

The striker is a willing runner who constantly looks for space, and he also tries to be an option to hold up the ball when Arsenal look to play forward quickly.

Gyokeres is an imposing figure, but so are the majority of centre-backs in the Premier League - and he will have to adapt if he is going to get the better of them in physical battles.

Whenever questions are asked about Gyokeres, his mentality and stubbornness are brought up as two of his qualities.

That will help in the Premier League, especially with the expectation around his signing so high. This is a player whose shirt sales broke records at Arsenal when his deal was completed and his number announced.

There is a visible want from his team-mates for it to click for him, with Gabriel Martinelli looking to let Gyokeres' shot go into the net against Olympiacos on Wednesday before it hit the post and the winger tapped it in.

Gyokeres' style of play is perhaps not easy on the eye like some of the silky forwards in the Premier League, but there are signs he can be effective.

With Arsenal's more direct style of play and a midfield designed to get the best out of him, he has all the tools at his disposal to succeed.

The question is, will he be able to use them?

Read Alex's full piece on Gyokeres here

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Arsenal and West Ham.

Here are some of your comments:

Arsenal fans

Guy: Another good performance from Arsenal. A match like this we would've lost or drawn last season. We could've scored a few more but we kept a clean sheet which is important. Eberechi Eze and Declan Rice are phenomenal.

Chris: At last, Arsenal are showing what they can do and are creating a fully interchangeable squad capable of overcoming any injury issues. Let's fulfil the promise going forward.

Daniel: Professional job done against a weaker team in a transitional period. Worry about Rice and Martin Odegaard but we have strength in depth now so not as much of a worry as last season. Great to be top at international break but its a marathon not a sprint so staying grounded.

Paul: Brilliant performance by the lads. Bukayo Saka looked electric on the wing and Rice looked calm in the midfield. Unlucky that Odegaard got another injury but at least we have depth in that position. Overall, a good win to lead the Premier League.

West Ham fans

Rob: No miracles yet for the Hammers, but the team is playing a lot better under Nuno Espirito Santo's management and there are bigger games still to come with teams in and around the bottom half after the international break. A big three points is up for grabs in the next home game against Brentford.

Matthew: It was always going to be a difficult task for Nuno, so definitely can't judge him in that aspect. But we defended very resolutely, and under Graham Potter it would've been a cricket score. In Nuno we trust!

Michael: To be honest, you've got to be happy to come away from the Emirates with a 2-0 loss. It's disappointing but have to feel under Potter that would have been a lot worse. Now we've got to start picking up points in the next couple of games!

Simon: It was a loss, which is never nice, but it was expected. But the team looked like a team and the defence in particular looked a lot better than it has. I was very happy Nuno bought on the youngsters. I'm not convinced that Niclas Fullkrug is a Premier League striker.

Arsenal are not giving up in their pursuit of 20-year-old Turkey forward Kenan Yildiz and sent scouts to watch him as Juventus played AC Milan in Serie A on Sunday. (Tuttosport - in Italian), external

Meanwhile, the Gunners are hopeful they can agree the terms of a new deal with Bukayo Saka, 24, during the international break to keep the England winger at the club for the long term. (TBR Football), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Alex Howell
Football reporter

Martin Odegaard made 45 appearances for Arsenal in all competitions last season and is usually the go-to man for Arteta.

It was injuries that derailed their title challenge in 2024-25, with Odegaard himself having a spell on the sidelines with an ankle problem.

But this season things are different in north London.

The Gunners spent around £250m in the summer transfer window, bringing in eight new players, and that squad depth has already played a massive part in their strong start to the campaign.

Arteta was able to call on £60m Martin Zubimendi to replace Odegaard and it was his long pass to Eberechi Eze which started the move from which Declan Rice scored the opening goal

Rice also went off with a back injury - but Arteta was able to bring on Mikel Merino and academy graduate Ethan Nwaneri in a real show of squad strength.

The Arsenal manager has already said that the "finishers could be more important than the starting players this season" - although he will hope that he won't have to keep going to his squad because of injury issues.

"It's not ideal because we had really clear intentions with the line-up," he said. "But the good thing is we can bring somebody else in and be a little bit different but still very, very efficient."

Read more on how Odegaard set an unwanted record against West Ham

Pundits Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney join host Gabby Logan to bring you the action and talking points from Saturday's Premier League fixtures and Friday's action.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

• Manchester United 2-0 Sunderland

• Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool

Alex Howell
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Mikel Arteta has been criticised at times for his conservative team selection but there was no possibility of that happening today.

Arteta may not have been able to see how his midfield selection would have played out after Odegaard's withdrawal 30 minutes into the game, but his pre-match choices show the mentality at Arsenal this season.

Riccardo Calafiori, was given license to come into midfield alongside the deep-lying Rice to allow Eze and Odegaard to push further up the pitch.

This continued when the excellent Zubimendi was introduced and two of his forward passes played a big part in the Arsenal goals.

Rice showed with his goal why the transition from a number six to a number eight has been made. His running power and ability to time his runs to get on the end of balls was shown with his goal.

Arteta was also able to bring on Ethan Nwaneri and Mikel Merino, highlighting squad strength that has been key to his side's positive start to this season.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta speaking after the victory over West Ham: "Very happy. We knew it would be a tough match. Three games in seven days and two very intense games before this. Very happy."

On learning from previous defeats by West Ham: "When we played Newcastle we said we had to learn from the past and the scars we had in that stadium. Today as well we lost the previous two at the Emirates (against West Ham) but we won today and fully deserved it."

On Odegaard's injury: "With Martin it was a clash knee to knee. It's not looking very positive at the moment."

On Rice's substitution: "With Declan he was struggling with back pain and he asked me to come off. Let's see what the doctor says now and what is best for him."

On Saka scoring on his 200th appearance: "It's exceptional what he's doing at his age. The impact he has on those matches, it's very difficult to do and I'm very happy for him. He's super consistent and willing to learn constantly. He finds ways to find goals. He will grow and become more mature. Hopefully he'll keep impacting the team."

Bukayo Saka speaking to BBC Match of the Day on making 200th Premier League appearance for the club: "It is a beautiful feeling. A big achievement as well so I am very proud.

"It has been a really successful week for us as a team with three games and three wins. We go into the international break in a good place in the Premier League and Champions League.

"It has been a strong start to the season. We've had some tough games, particularly away. We are in a strong place in the Premier League and looking forward to coming back and pushing on.

"Mikel [Arteta] has very much improved my game as a lot. I am very grateful to have him as my coach. He will bring this club success and looking forward to when that day comes.

Did you know?

• Bukayo Saka made his 200th Premier League appearance, the seventh youngest player to do so overall (24y 29) and the second youngest for Arsenal after Cesc Fabregas in 2011 (23y 242d).

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Arsenal's performance

What did you make of West Ham's display?

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

Arsenal starting XI: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Rice, Odegaard, Eze, Saka, Trossard, Gyokeres

Subs: Arrizabalaga, Nwaneri, Norgaard, Mosquera, White, Martinelli, Merino, Zubimendi, Lewis-Skelly

West Ham starting XI: Areola, Wan-Bissaka, Kilman, Mavropanos, Diouf, Magassa, Paqueta, Fernandes, Summervile, Bowen, Fullkrug

Subs: Hermansen, Scarles, Walker-Peters, Julio, Wilson, Guilherme, Rodriguez, Potts, Marshall

There are four games in the Premier League on Saturday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Leeds United v Tottenham (12:30)

• Arsenal v West Ham - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Manchester United v Sunderland - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Chelsea v Liverpool (17:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times 15:00 BST unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Arsenal v West Ham" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Chelsea v Liverpool", for instance.

Find out more about how to listen to Premier League football on BBC Sounds

West Ham have won on their past two visits to Emirates Stadium but I don't look at Arsenal at the moment and see a team that is going to drop points.

The Hammers grew into the game against Everton in Nuno Espirito Santo's first match in charge, but I am expecting the Gunners to be too strong for them.

Arsenal are a powerhouse at the moment and their squad depth is frightening. Defensively they are outstanding - they have conceded only three goals in six league games, the fewest in the Premier League - and this should be comfortable for them.

Sutton's prediction: 3-0

Read the full predictions and have your say here

West Ham may have had a poor start to the season, but they are chasing a third straight victory over Arsenal at Emirates Stadium. BBC Sport explores some of the key themes before Saturday's match.

Arsenal have only lost four of their past 42 home Premier League matches, but half of those have been inflicted by West Ham on their past two visits.

The Hammers are now looking to become only the second side to win three successive Premier League away games against the Gunners after Manchester City managed six from March 2018 to February 2023 - while Arsenal have won only two of their past six against their east London rivals, albeit 6-0 and 5-2 victories at London Stadium.

Both clubs have suffered vastly differing starts to the season. Arsenal's only defeat in nine matches was a narrow loss at Liverpool and they secured another victory against Olympiakos in midweek to make it two from two in the Champions League.

Mikel Arteta, who will be taking charge of his 300th Gunners game, made six changes from the side that beat Newcastle as he again showcased the squad depth he now has at his disposal.

Beleaguered West Ham began life under Nuno Espirito Santo with a creditable draw at Everton on Monday, despite their new boss having just two training sessions with his players. It was their first point in the Premier League since the end of August.

Despite a tumultuous run under Graham Potter, the Hammers have actually only lost one of their past five Premier League away games (W3, D1) and their last 10 top-flight points have all come on the road.

Much of the tactical battle in this fixture is expected to come down to corners as Arsenal, the set-piece kings, face the team that concede the most.

Nine of the Gunners' past 14 Premier League goals have been scored via seven corners, one free-kick and one penalty, and the record of Arteta's side stands alongside the past masters of the set-piece in Tony Pulis and Sean Dyche.

These stats must give West Ham fans sleepless nights given their well-documented struggles with corners this season, having let in eight, five more than any other top-flight club.

To further emphasis the gulf between these London rivals, Arsenal are undefeated in 31 of their past 34 league matches - and in that same period of games West Ham have lost exactly half their top-flight fixtures.

Josh Lobley
BBC Sport journalist

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against West Ham at Emirates Stadium (kick-off 15:00 BST)

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Arteta says he is "not too concerned" about Gabriel's injury. On fellow defender Piero Hincapie, he said that Saturday's match has come too quickly for him and he will be available after the international break.

• There were no new updates on Kai Havertz, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Jesus, who continue to recover from their injuries.

• On Myles Lewis-Skelly's inclusion in the England squad and Thomas Tuchel speaking highly of him: "For someone like Thomas, who I know very well, to describe Myles in that way is credit to the boy, family and everybody who has been a part of of his education. Myles has probably not played as many minutes as he would have liked, but he is professional in the way he has been engaging with his team and he gives you the possibility to count on him."

• Saturday's match will be Arteta's 300th as Arsenal manager. He said he hopes there are "many more to come", adding: "When I started on day one I had no idea how long or with who. The only thing I can say is thank you and that I enjoy every minute it."

• It could also be Bukayo Saka's 200th Premier League match if he plays and Arteta said: "On my first game here, I visualised Bukayo playing as a left-back! He has come very far up the pitch and very far on his journey; very far as a person and the role he has in the team."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Listen to BBC Radio 5 Live commentary of Arsenal v West Ham at 15:00 on Saturday