Arsenal are back in action this evening, as the Gunners face a short trip to east London to face West Ham United in the Carabao Cup at the London Stadium.
It’s the first time that the two sides will meet this season, and the first time that Declan Rice will return to his former home since making the £105m move to north London in the summer.
The winter schedule is a gruelling time for all clubs, particularly those participating in Europe, which both the Gunners and the Hammers have been, meaning some squad rotation could be on show ahead of tonight’s clash.
Arsenal team news vs West Ham United
Mikel Arteta’s side have already suffered a wave of injury concerns this week, with the manager confirming that Gabriel Jesus and Thomas Partey will be absent for the next few weeks due to muscle injuries.
Both players have already missed game time this term due to injury concerns, however Arsenal seemed to cope well in their previous fixture without them, as the Gunners were 5-0 victors over Sheffield United at the Emirates.
During the Premier League fixture, the manager opted to rest some of his players typically in the favoured XI, as club captain Martin Odegaard and prized centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes took to the bench to allow other talents to flourish.
On the subject of Arsenal’s skipper, Arteta revealed in his pre-match press conference that the Norwegian has been carrying a slight hip injury, which could see him rested again this evening to allow for a longer period of recovery.
Considering that both Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka have spent respective time out already this term due to injury, it could be a smart move for the manager to rotate his front line to allow the dynamic duo to rest amid the gruelling winter schedule.
The stats that show why Reiss Nelson should start against West Ham
Summoning star players to the bench ahead of the Gunners’ Premier League clash with Newcastle United on Saturday could not only benefit the fitness of the favoured lineup, but also hand some sporadic players to gain some minutes in a well-contested cup challenge.
One player that could enter the fold against West Ham is Reiss Nelson, who when deployed on either flank, is a menace to defend against with fresh legs.
Previously lauded as an “explosive winger” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Englishman has the ammunition in his locker to damage the Hammers, as reinforced by his impressive numbers over the past year.
As per FBref, the Hale End graduate has been incredibly influential when representing the Gunners, averaging a mammoth 6.16 shot-creating actions per 90, a figure that places him in the top 1% in Europe’s five leagues for that statistic.
In Saka, Arteta has a reliable forward that is certain to cause problems on the right side due to his direct nature, however the manager could replicate the danger of his star man through Nelson, who can be equally as dangerous with his rate of 2.43 successful take-ons per 90.
By starting the £100k-per-week gem, Arsenal could afford to rotate the squad without compromising the threat they could impose on the Hammers, with the 23-year-old the ideal talent to exploit on this occasion.
Praised by Arteta as being a player that is “evolving”, Nelson could make a statement with a big performance in the London derby, should he be trusted to start the game this evening.
