Arsenal vs. West Ham prediction, odds, start time: English Premier League picks, best bets for Dec. 26, 2022

Arsenal return to English Premier League play on Monday at Emirates Stadium, and the Gunners will face West Ham on Boxing Day without one of their best players. Gabriel Jesus could miss a few months after needing knee surgery following an injury suffered while playing with Brazil at the World Cup. The Gunners (12-1-1) have a five-point lead on reigning champions Manchester City, and they have been playing excellent on the back end. They beat Lyon and AC Milan in friendly matches during the break before a loss to Juventus. Arsenal also have lost to the Hammers just once since 2015 (11-2-1). West Ham (4-2-9) sit 16th in the Premier League table and have struggled to find goals following a 2021-22 season where they finished seventh.

Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. ET in London. Caesars Sportsbook lists Arsenal as -200 favorites (risk $200 to win $100) in its latest Arsenal vs. West Ham odds. West Ham United are +525 underdogs, a draw is priced at +320, and the over/under for total goals is set at 2.5. Before making any West Ham vs. Arsenal picks, be sure to see the EPL predictions and best bets from SportsLine’s Brandt Sutton. 

Sutton, a former collegiate soccer player, has been SportsLine’s top soccer editor for nearly five years. He has followed soccer closely for much longer and factors in managerial tactics, projected lineups and past performances to make the most-informed decisions possible, keeping his finger on the pulse of the game all over the globe.

Sutton also has been on a roll with his best bets, going 165-128-2 (+22.61 units) on his soccer picks this year. That’s a return of well over $2,200 for $100 bettors.

Now, Sutton has broken down the Arsenal vs. West Ham matchup from every angle and just locked in his Premier League picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for West Ham vs. Arsenal:

• Arsenal vs. West Ham spread: Arsenal -1.5 (+140)
• Arsenal vs. West Ham over/under: 2.5 goals
• Arsenal vs. West Ham money line: Arsenal -200, West Ham +525, Draw +320
• ARS: The Gunners have at least two goals in five of the past six meetings.
• WHU: The Hammers have conceded two goals in three straight matches.
• Arsenal vs. West Ham picks: See picks at SportsLine

Featured Game | Arsenal vs. West Ham United

Why you should back Arsenal

The Gunners will surely miss Jesus, but they are looking to sign a replacement in January. In the meantime, star prospect Eddie Nketiah is likely to lead the line along with Gabriel Martinelli (five goals). Nketiah had five goals last season and has scored three in all competitions this season. Martin Odegaard took over the team lead with six goals when he scored both in a 2-0 victory against Wolverhampton in Arsenal’s last EPL outing. Bukayo Saka should be ready to start after scoring three goals in England’s World Cup run. 

Saka has four goals and six assists and plays a key role in the attack. The Gunners have scored 33 goals to West Ham’s 12, and they have conceded just 11. That is tied for fewest in the EPL, and they also have allowed the joint-fewest shots on target (36). The Hammers have had problems hitting the target, putting 26.6% of their shots on frame, the second-worst mark in the league. 

Why you should back West Ham

The Hammers are due for some luck in the scoring department, as they have scored 12 times but have an expected goals of 18.6. Jarrod Bowen has hit double digits in goals in four of his past five full seasons but has two so far. West Ham lost 2-0 to Leicester City in their last Premier League match, but they held the ball for 54% of the game and had an 18-9 advantage in shots. They have the sixth-most shots in the Premier League with 199, so they just need to start putting them on frame. They scored eight goals in three friendly matches over the break.

West Ham’s strength has been on the back end, as they are allowing just over a goal per game. They have conceded 17, tied for fourth-fewest in the league. They have allowed 57 shots on target, seventh-fewest in the league, and they don’t give up many set pieces. Only one team has committed fewer than their 116 fouls. Tomas Soucek is third in the EPL with 47 tackles, and he and fellow Hammer Declan Rice are part of a three-way tie in interceptions with 24. 

How to make West Ham vs. Arsenal picks

Sutton has analyzed Monday’s West Ham vs. Arsenal match from all sides, and he has his confident best bet on the goal total and a full breakdown of the match. He’s only sharing those picks here.

So where does all the betting value lie for Arsenal vs. West Ham in Monday’s Premier League matchup? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for West Ham vs. Arsenal, all from the soccer expert who is up well over $2,200 on his soccer picks in 2022, and find out.