West Ham are within touching distance of securing their Premier League status after a significant upturn in form in recent weeks, with the Hammers standing seven points above the relegation zone heading into the final weeks of the campaign.
Safety is not yet mathematically secure though, meaning there’s still a challenge ahead for David Moyes’ side, and a stern test awaits on Sunday with a London derby against an out-of-sorts Arsenal side.
Whilst the Gunners have been poor on their travels, their home form is one of the best in the Premier League and former Arsenal defender Paul Merson believes that his old side will emerge victorious- bolstering their form ahead of Thursday’s huge Europa League semi-final against Atletico Madrid.
Writing his predictions for Sky Sports, Merson said:
“West Ham have 35 points – meaning Southampton have to win three of their last five, that’s the way I’m looking at it. That’s a big ask. Southampton need back-to-back wins to make teams like West Ham nervous. It would bring a lot of teams back into the relegation mix.”
“I would expect Arsenal to win this. There’s the prospect of Burnley finishing above Arsenal – no disrespect but if you’re Arsenal you don’t want to be finishing a 38-game season behind Burnley. Not in this day and age – maybe in the 1920s! You can understand finishing below the top five, but not Burnley.”
Merson predicts a 2-0 win for Arsenal, which could reduce West Ham’s advantage over the drop zone to just four points.
