Arsenal at West Ham preview: On the trot

Today at 12:30 PM

After an away day for the ages, Arsenal return to London to face West Ham

Don't look now, but Arsenal are on the up again.

The Gunners followed up last weekend's cathartic victory against Nottingham Forest with a dazzling display against Sporting CP on the road in the Champions League. The 5-1 victory provided the type of match where you couldn't do much more than sit back and bask in the brilliance on display, knowing all the while that it was fully deserved.

The hardest part about finding success is doing it all over again. The beautiful game is also a confounding one, with little linearity and zero predictability. One day, you're on top, the next, you're not. But that's what the best teams live for, and for Mikel Arteta's side, it will be a task they will be hungry to take on as they look to dig their way out of their deficit and get themselves back in the title race.

The Gunners return to London, taking a quick trip across town to face West Ham United, who are coming off a decisive away win of their own. Both sides will be feeling the confidence, and both will see this match as theirs for the taking.

Are the Gunners well and truly back to their best?

Here are five talking points ahead of Saturday's match:

Know the Enemy

West Ham have been a yo-yo club this season, unable to sustain consistency for any length of time. They have notched 4 victories, but none successively so far. Julien Lopetegui has not been able to find another gear from an otherwise decent roster, with players like Mohamed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen at his disposal in the attack and Lucas Paqueta in the midfield. Every victory has either been preceded or followed by a loss, a worrying trend if they want to battle for a European spot.

And yet, they are not at all out of it. Despite sitting 14th with 15 points, they are only 4 points away from the top 6, and they are a team that can snatch a result when you least expect it. Away to Newcastle on Monday, they beat a Magpie team Arsenal struggled against a few weeks ago. Newcastle ripped them apart on the counter, but their finishing was exceptionally wasteful. The Hammers, on the inverse, made the best of their chances, winning 0-2 and leaving with 3 points and likely a great deal of belief.

West Ham are one of those frustrating sides Arsenal find themselves struggling with when they can least afford it. Last season, they bested Arsenal twice - once at the Emirates, and a second time when they bounced the Gunners out of the League Cup. Two seasons ago, it was the 2-2 draw at the Hammers that began Arsenal's late season wobble before City overtook them for the title. But not all visits to London Stadium have been frustrating for Mikel Arteta's side…

Last Time Out

Mollywhopped. Smashed. Pasted. However you want to describe it, Arsenal were rampant in their last visit to the London Stadium in February, winning 6-0 while leaving a few goals on the pitch. The match came in the midst of Arsenal's torrid run to start the new year, with this match being the most dominant of the bunch. The Gunners started slowly, but opened their scoring in the 32nd minute before adding 3 more goals before halftime, taking all of the wind out of the sails of the home support before the second half could begin.

Arsenal suffocated West Ham with an intense press and punished them in front of the net. The defense kept the hosts quiet all match, while the attack found success with ease. The match had more than its fair share of goals, but the pick of the bunch was the last one, when Declan Rice rocketed a thunderbolt from outside of the box against his former club. After the home support rained boos down on the former Hammer every time he touched the ball, he repaid their vitriol by sending the rest of the fans for the exits and Arsenal on to another runaway victory.

Injuries & Suspensions

The Gunners came out of the Sporting match with only one concern, as Gabriel Magalhaes was subbed late in the 2nd half with what appeared to be an injury. He walked off on his own, but that doesn't mean there isn't some cause for concern, and nothing concrete has been reported yet.

Outside of that, the song remains the same, as Takehiro Tomiyasu remains out while Ben White recovers from his knee surgery.

Predicted Lineup

Attack: Martinelli, Havertz, Saka

Each member of Arteta's preferred front three found the back of the net against Sporting on Tuesday, looking like the three-headed attack that propelled Arsenal to an historic goal scoring run at the beginning of the calendar year. If Arteta makes any changes, it would be a surprise.

Midfield: Rice, Partey, Odegaard

The midfield was simply dominant during the midweek. Odegaard in particular made his influence known, putting on a performance that reminded the football-watching world that he is among the top of the top in the game at his position. Arsenal go as he goes, and he is shouldering that responsibility with aplomb.

Defense: Calafiori, Gabriel, Saliba, Timber

As I mentioned in the pre-match of the Sporting match, this is Arteta's starting back four. Full stop. Timber filled the Ben White-sized hole with a tireless display. Calafiori, though wanting for pace, kept his side confidently quiet. Saliba and Gabriel pocketed one of Europe's most in-form strikers. They did everything you could have asked of them, and looked comfortable as a unit.

If Gabriel is out, Kiwior is likely next in line. Either that, or Calafiori slides inside and Kiwior starts at LB.

Keeper: Raya

His efforts kept Sporting from crawling back into the match, making some truly spectacular saves to stifle the hosts. What a player he has turned out to be.

While the Iron is Hot

Arsenal's November started out as one to forget, but has the chance to end on an upswing if they can capitalize on their recent performances going forward. 3-0 against Forest and 5-1 at Sporting are no flukes. We've seen this Arsenal side do it before, and we know they are capable of doing it again. When this side finds their rhythm, it's truly remarkable to watch, and it feels like they are playing as a unit once again.

But the current Premier League season has been pronounced by immense parity (well, outside of Liverpool). Three points separate 3rd and 8th place while 7 points separate 3rd and 14th. Any number of individual results could see massive movement across the table this weekend, which is why the Gunners have to make the most of their current run of form and start putting some distance between themselves and the rest of the league.

The term Separation Saturday is a bit of cliche in American sports, but seems particularly appropriate for this weekend's fixtures. Arsenal have a chance to make up ground and solidify their spot in the race, especially with Manchester City traveling to Anfield to take on league leaders Liverpool. The Gunners have to keep their eyes on their own paper, but have shown the quality necessary to be in contention once again if they can stay focused and maintain their current form.

WHO: Arsenal at West Ham United
WHAT: Premier League Match Day 13
WHEN: Saturday, November 30th, 12:30pm EST/9:30am PST/5:30pm GMT
WHERE: London Stadium, London
HOW TO WATCH: Broadcast live on The USA Network. Streaming on NBCSports.com