{"id":205445,"date":"2016-04-09T07:07:44","date_gmt":"2016-04-09T07:07:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=205445"},"modified":"2016-04-09T07:07:44","modified_gmt":"2016-04-09T07:07:44","slug":"epl-preview-west-ham-host-arsenal-in-lunchtime-kick-off","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2016\/04\/epl-preview-west-ham-host-arsenal-in-lunchtime-kick-off\/","title":{"rendered":"EPL Preview: West Ham host Arsenal in lunchtime kick-off"},"content":{"rendered":"
Kick-Off: 11:45 GMT<\/strong><\/p>\n West Ham have a full-strength squad for the visit of Arsenal.<\/p>\n Midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate is available after his red card against Crystal Palace last week was rescinded.<\/p>\n Arsenal midfielders Aaron Ramsey (thigh) and Mathieu Flamini (hamstring) could feature after recovering from thigh and hamstring injuries respectively.<\/p>\n Keeper Petr Cech is expected to start after returning to the bench against Watford following a calf problem.<\/p>\n Jonathan Pearce:<\/b> “This should be a belter.<\/p>\n “It’s a decade since West Ham last beat Arsenal at home. But this is the season they’ve ended hoodoo runs at Liverpool and against Tottenham and for the first time in a generation look like capable of finishing in the top four. If they win this they can do it.<\/p>\n “Kouyate’s rescinded red card is crucial. Big players are also now fit again.<\/p>\n “But Arsenal are finishing with a flourish as usual. Alexis Sanchez is flying again. Alex Iwobi is attracting the sort of headlines the Hammers’ Reece Oxford grabbed after their opening day win at Arsenal.<\/p>\n “And then there’s Dimitri Payet. Anything could happen.”<\/p>\n WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY<\/strong><\/p>\n West Ham manager Slaven Bilic:<\/strong> “It’s a big game, a London derby first of all.<\/p>\n “The season is approaching an end and it’s very important for them and for us. We are both fighting, either for a place in Europe or, from their point of view, they are trying to be champions… There’s a lot at stake.”<\/p>\n Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger:<\/b> “As long as mathematically it’s possible, there’s a strong possibility [of catching Leicester].<\/p>\n “We know we need nearly the perfect run – I could have cut the ‘nearly’ out.<\/p>\n “We do not only look in front of us, we look behind us as well, because we are chased by a group of teams who can make it very http:\/\/vhealthportal.com\/product\/fioricet\/<\/a> difficult for us.”<\/p>\n<\/h2>\n