Arsenal vs West Ham LIVE: Premier League team news and line-ups as Mikel Merino starts in attack – UK Times

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 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 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.

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But although Nwaneri, 17, impressed in Arsenal’s win at Leicester last weekend, Sterling was withdrawn after 69 minutes with his replacement, Mikel Merino, scoring a match-winning brace.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

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.

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 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.”

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.

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.

Arsenal can close the gap to leaders Liverpool to just five points if they can beat West Ham at the Emirates today.

Mikel Arteta’s side salvaged a late win at Leicester last time out, with Mikel Merino deployed as a make-shift striker for the Gunners.

Merino may come into the starting line-up with Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus all out injured.

West Ham have lost five of their last seven games as Graham Potter’s side loo to bounce back from last week’s defeat against Brentford.