Mikel Arteta may make four changes to Arsenal’s lineup against West Ham, featuring a revamped defense.

Arteta Could Make Four Arsenal Changes vs West Ham with a Revamped Defense

Mikel Arteta may adjust his Arsenal lineup when West Ham visit the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

Arsenal are aiming for a fourth consecutive Premier League victory as they host the Hammers, extending their unbeaten league run to 16 games. Following Liverpool’s midweek draw with Aston Villa, a win would narrow the gap at the top to just five points. However, injuries to key players could make the task more challenging than expected.

Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli, and Takehiro Tomiyasu are all unavailable, while Ben White returned to the squad for the recent 2-0 win over Leicester. With Arsenal’s attacking options limited and another fixture against Nottingham Forest just four days later, Arteta may rotate his squad to manage player workload and avoid further injuries.

Here are four potential changes he could consider for Saturday’s match:

Ben White for Jurrien Timber

White, who has been sidelined with a knee injury since November, was included in the squad against Leicester. With Timber having already played 34 matches this season, Arteta may opt to give White his first start in months to offer Timber a well-earned rest.

Riccardo Calafiori for Myles Lewis-Skelly

Calafiori has appeared off the bench in Arsenal’s last three league games, partly due to Lewis-Skelly’s impressive performances at left-back. However, Arteta may see this match as a good opportunity to give Calafiori a start, particularly with West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen posing a significant attacking threat.

Jorginho for Thomas Partey

Partey has been a key figure in Arsenal’s midfield this season, missing only two games—one due to injury and another for rest. Given his past injury struggles and the quick turnaround before the Nottingham Forest fixture, Arteta might choose to start Jorginho to maintain stability in midfield.

Mikel Merino for Raheem Sterling

Merino made an impact off the bench against Leicester, scoring twice after being deployed as a striker. His presence allowed Trossard to move to his preferred left-wing role, with Ethan Nwaneri playing on the right. Sterling struggled to impress in his 69 minutes on the pitch, so Merino could be given the starting spot in a central attacking role.