West Ham United will be underdogs during the visit of pedigree Canines Arsenal, but Stuart Pearce sees reason to believe Nuno Espirito Santo could still give Mikel Arteta a nasty bite at the London Stadium.
The Hammers host the Gunners at 4.30pm on Sunday afternoon.
The home side are in dire need of a victory, knowing that a defeat coupled with a Tottenham win at home to Leeds a day later would leave them four points adrift and crying out for a miracle.
Are there any areas of WEAKNESS you have spotted in Arsenal? 🧐
Mavro has already gotten the better of Gyokeres once…
West Ham United, at least, do have a couple of useful weapons in their armoury as the gunslingers of Arsenal roll into town.
Stuart Pearce has faith in West Ham United’s attackers v Arsenal
Nuno has Adama Traore available to him these days. One of the fastest footballers in the game against a team who could be vulnerable to rapid-fire transitions? If any match was made for Adama, it’s arguably this one.
Stuart Pearce is pinning his hopes, though, on more regular starters such as Jarrod Bowen, Crysencio Summerville and Taty Castellanos.
“It might just suit West Ham,” Pearce, who had two spells assisting David Moyes between 2017 and 2022, said on the Premier League Preview show. “I know from when I was there on the coaching staff, you know you won’t see a lot of the ball against Arsenal
“That might play into the hands of Summerville and Bowen on the counter. Castellanos as well, who has a bit of pace.”
The last time the two sides met, Nuno was forced to rely upon the immobile Niclas Fullkrug up top. Summerville was in the midst of a goal drought which ran from late-2023 to early-2025. Castellanos has overtaken Fullkrug’s Premier League goal tally already, while this version of Summerville is a more dynamic, dangerous player.
Though, Pearce argues, Bowen still rules the roost in East London.
What changes would you make to this team and why? 👀
“It’s not been a great season,” he adds. “Across the board, there hasn’t been a level of consistency and that has added to where they are in the league.
“I’m finding it really difficult to pick one individual out. I don’t think anyone has offered a level of consistency to be honest.
“Jarrod gets goals, which is helpful to them, he has a level of consistency. But across the board I couldn’t pick one individual out to say he’s been really good this season.”
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
