West Ham head to the Emirates to take on Arsenal and one of their top players looks set to return to the starting XI.
There has never traditionally been a fierce rivalry between West Ham and the Gunners.
That has changed since Declan Rice’s £105m move to north London, though.
Rice burned his bridges with many Hammers fans when he chose Arsenal over Man City and declared he wanted to leave to compete for and win the top trophies in football.
The Europa Conference League triumph with West Ham remains Rice’s last major trophy win, though.
And West Ham fans have revelled seeing their team play a part in denying him and Arsenal the title and League Cup last season.
The Hammers beat Arsenal in the League Cup at at the London Stadium before a 2-0 win at the Emirates in the Premier League at the end of 2023.
That result severely dented Arsenal’s charge for the title as Man City overhauled them.
The Hammers then got a measure of revenge for the goading they’d been subjected to by Arsenal when they lost to Man City on the final day of last season to ensure the title stayed at the Etihad.
West Ham drop major hint top star will start at Arsenal
Extra spice has been added to this fixture since.
Arsenal have battered West Ham twice since that damaging 2-0 victory.
First 6-0 and then 5-2 at the London Stadium.
So tightening up defensively will be fundamental as Graham Potter faces off against Mikel Arteta.
The new Hammers boss has a good record against Arsenal with his previous teams.
West Ham will be hoping that continues.
Arsenal are without a host of key attacking players including Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz.
The Gunners know they must win to have a realistic chance of overhauling leaders Liverpool in the last 13 games.
Potter has his own injury problems for the game.
But West Ham’s hopes of a result have been boosted by the return of one player at just the right time.
West Ham have dropped a major hint a top star will start his first game in two months at Arsenal.
The Irons are without Lucas Paqueta, Crysencio Summerville, Michail Antonio, Niclas Fullkrug and Vladimir Coufal for the clash.
But Jean-Clair Todibo has returned to training recently.
Todibo set for first Hammers start in two months vs Gunners
Now he looks certain to start against Arsenal after several hints from the Hammers.
The club’s media team has posted video footage from training which focuses heavily on Todibo.
It shows the French centre-back winning a series of sprint races against his teammates.
West Ham followed that up by publishing a gallery from training on the eve of the match.
Again Todibo is featured more than any other player, suggesting he is very much ready to go.
Todibo has been missing since going off injured in the 4-1 defeat at Man City at the start of the year.
That was Julen Lopetegui’s last game before being sacked so Potter has not had a chance to use the former Barca man yet.
Todibo has blown hot and cold since arriving from Nice as one of West Ham’s headline summer captures.
But many feel Potter will get the best out of him as their styles are well suited.
Max Kilman will be the biggest beneficiary if Todibo does start.
The £40m defender has been excellent on the whole since arriving in the summer.
However, there is no doubt he is infinitely better when paired with a more dominant and pacy partner.
Former Gunner Konstantinos Mavropanos also features heavily in the training gallery.
He scored in West Ham’s win over Arsenal the last time they played at The Emirates.
It remains to be seen whether Potter plays three at the back with Mavropanos and Tobido alongside Kilman or keeps Aaron Cresswell in the side over the big Greek.
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