Arsenal do not need a mystery formula at West Ham in the Premier League on Sunday.
The strongest numbers around this game point to a very obvious route for Mikel Arteta’s side: attack the Hammers where they have looked most vulnerable all season and trust the players who are arriving in form at exactly the right time.
It’s a no brainer for Arteta, and he must deliver.
West Ham have clear weakness Arsenal can exploit
BBC Sport’s preview for West Ham United v Arsenal highlights a glaring mismatch ahead of Sunday’s London Stadium meeting. Arsenal have scored 27 Premier League goals from set pieces this season, more than any other side, and their 17 goals from corners are the most any team has managed in a single Premier League campaign.
West Ham’s side of the same match-up is the part Arsenal supporters will immediately notice. The Hammers have conceded 15 goals from corners and 23 from set plays overall in the league, both among the worst returns in the division. Arsenal have won their last two away league games at West Ham 6-0 and 5-2, while Bukayo Saka has nine goal involvements in his last eight appearances against them.
Why this matters in title race context for Arsenal
The title picture means Arsenal cannot afford to drift through this one on emotion from the Atletico Madrid win alone. They still need to turn a huge Champions League high into a ruthless league performance, and the clearest way to do that may be through the part of their game they already own better than anyone else.
If Arteta’s side can pin West Ham back and force repeat dead-ball situations, the matchup starts to tilt in Arsenal’s favour very quickly. Arsenal already have the division’s best set-piece output, West Ham have been exposed badly in that phase, and that gives the visitors a route to control even if the game is tense in open play.
There is also a second attacking reason for confidence. Viktor Gyokeres has scored nine goals in his last 12 Premier League appearances, while Saka’s record against West Ham remains one of his best against any opponent. Arsenal do not need this to become a wild game if those two keep delivering in the decisive moments.
A tireless UCL display 👏
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) May 7, 2026
Vik's semi-final second leg best bits 🍿 pic.twitter.com/I30VhPhpbq
The wider context
There is still a real argument for caution. West Ham are unbeaten in their last six home Premier League matches, so this is not a soft landing after the Atletico tie. The Hammers have, however, lost all five of their home London derbies in the league this season, which tells its own story about how fragile they can look against the capital’s stronger sides.
The wider Matchweek 36 picture only sharpens the stakes. Arsenal remain in control of their own title fate if they win their remaining matches, while West Ham are still playing with survival pressure around them. That should make the atmosphere sharper and the game uglier than the recent scorelines in this fixture might suggest.
It is also worth remembering that David Raya can win the Golden Glove outright this weekend if Arsenal keep another clean sheet, adding one more individual target to a match that is already heavy with team consequence.
