---
title: "Arsenal: Predicted XI to face West Ham in London derby"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/arsenal-predicted-xi-west-ham-arteta/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Luke Seychell"
section: "Arsenal Football Club"
published: "2020-09-19T08:00:36Z"
modified: "2020-09-19T08:00:36Z"
---

# Arsenal: Predicted XI to face West Ham in London derby

**Arsenal have started the 2020/21 season in promising fashion as they [won](https://www.arsenal.com/results-and-fixtures-list) on penalties against Liverpool in the Community Shield and then beat Fulham[3-0](https://www.sofascore.com/fulham-arsenal/RsT) at Craven Cottage in their first Premier League game of the campaign.**

It was a comfortable victory for the Gunners and Mikel Arteta will be hoping for more of the same when the north London side [face](https://www.arsenal.com/results-and-fixtures-list) capital rivals West Ham United at the Emirates Stadium tonight in their [first home match of the new campaign](https://www.arsenal.com/results-and-fixtures-list).

Here is the Transfer Tavern’s predicted XI, which sees Arteta make [two](https://www.sofascore.com/fulham-arsenal/RsT) changes for the game from the team that beat Fulham a week ago:

![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Arsenal-vs-West-Ham.png)

[Last week](https://www.sofascore.com/fulham-arsenal/RsT), Bernd Leno made his first appearance since the [horrific injury](https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/arsenal-injury-bernd-leno-update-latest-a4501141.html) he suffered against Brighton in June and he would have been happy to keep a [clean sheet](https://www.sofascore.com/fulham-arsenal/RsT). Emiliano Martinez’s [move](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11677/12070226/emiliano-martinez-aston-villas-16m-bid-accepted-by-arsenal) to Aston Villa highlights how much faith Arteta has in the German to be the number one goalkeeper at the club.

The back three will probably [stay the same](https://www.sofascore.com/fulham-arsenal/RsT) as they performed very well against Fulham, especially [new signing](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11670/12055098/gabriel-arsenal-sign-defender-from-lille) Gabriel Magalhaes. The centre-back picked up the joint-best rating on the pitch (8.1) as he made two tackles, won four aerial duels and also managed to find the net, per [SofaScore.](https://www.sofascore.com/fulham-arsenal/RsT)

The two changes that could happen will be in the midfield quarter. Dani Ceballos, who [re-signed](https://www.espn.co.uk/football/soccer-transfers/story/4172552/arsenal-re-sign-real-madrids-dani-ceballos-on-loan#:~:text=Arsenal%20have%20re%2Dsigned%20Real,with%20the%20north%20London%20side.) on loan from Real Madrid, did not start against Fulham but came on for the final [12](https://www.sofascore.com/fulham-arsenal/RsT) minutes, winning [two](https://www.sofascore.com/fulham-arsenal/RsT) ground duels and completing his [only](https://www.sofascore.com/fulham-arsenal/RsT) dribble attempt. It would not be a surprise to see him link up alongside Granit Xhaka once more like the two [frequently did last season](https://m.football-lineups.com/team/Arsenal/), and this would see Mohammed Elneny, who has been [linked](https://arseblog.news/2020/08/report-elneny-linked-with-trabzonspor/) with a move away, drop to the bench.

Meanwhile, another player who has been [linked](https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/transfer-news/hector-bellerin-arsenal-transfer-news-18911077) with clubs across Europe – including Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich – is right-back Hector Bellerin, who is valued at [£28.8m](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/hector-bellerin/profil/spieler/191217). It could be argued that these links have affected him as he picked up the joint-lowest rating out of the Arsenal starting XI (6.9) last week and picked up a yellow cardwas dribbled past once and lost the ball 13 times, per [SofaScore](https://www.sofascore.com/fulham-arsenal/RsT). Arteta could move Ainsley Maitland-Niles across to right midfield and pick [Young Player of the Year](https://arseblog.news/2020/09/saka-nominated-for-pfa-young-player-of-the-year/) nominee Bukayo Saka at left midfield in his place.

There is no need to change the front three from the Craven Cottage win as captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored, Willian provided two assists on his Premier League [debut](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/willian/profil/spieler/52769) for the club, and Alexandre Lacazette also found the net, per [SofaScore.](https://www.sofascore.com/fulham-arsenal/RsT)

***Gunners fans, what are your thoughts on this starting XI! Comment below with your views!***