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Football London
Football London
Sport
Tashan Deniran-Alleyne

Pepe and Martinelli start, Lacazette dropped - The team Arsenal fans want to see vs West Ham

Arsenal go in search of a first Premier League win since early October when they entertain West Ham United at the London Stadium tonight.

It's also nine games without a win across all competitions for the north London outfit - two of which have come under interim head coach Freddie Ljungberg following Unai Emery's sacking last week.

The Swede will be hoping it's third time lucky having overseen a 2-2 draw against Norwich City as well as a 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion four days ago.

Arsenal 1-2 Brighton: Freddie Ljungberg full post-match press conference

Having started the season with hopes of finishing in the top four, the stark reality is that the Gunners are only four points clear of the relegation zone and could really do with a victory.

However, history is against them. Yet to score since the Hammers moved into the London Stadium and lost the corresponding meeting last season 1-0.

Speaking ahead of this season's London derby, Ljungberg has suggested that the keys to the Gunners ending this horrendous run of form is to be ruthless in front of goal and to not concede first.

"If you score the first goal you don't have to chase the game," he said.

"You don't have to open up as much because you can control the game so that's something that, in my opinion, we need to change a little bit."

So how will the Swede go about grabbing a first win as interim head coach?

Ahead of the game at the London Stadium, football.london offered fans the chance to step into Ljungberg's shoes and pick the team to take on the Hammers.

Supporters were asked who they'd like to start the game against West Ham, and those who responded came up with some interesting selections.

As expected, Bernd Leno keeps his place in goal as he goes in search of a first clean sheet on the road since the 1-0 win over Newcastle United on the opening weekend of the new season.

In front of him, fans are hoping Rob Holding passes a late fitness test to partner Calum Chambers in central defence which would mean both David Luiz and Sokratis drop out, while there are calls for Kieran Tierney to start ahead of Sead Kolasinac at left-back.

The midfield three is altered from the Brighton loss and despite the graphic below suggesting an holding midfield role for Mesut Ozil, it's more likely he would start in his natural number 10 position.

Things get rather interesting in attack.

Not only have fans called for Nicolas Pepe's inclusion, they want Alexandre Lacazette to make way for Gabriel Martinelli to make his first Premier League start for the Gunners.

Arsenal XI: Leno; Bellerin, Holding, Chambers, Tierney; Torreira, Xhaka; Pepe, Ozil, Gabriel Martinelli; Aubameyang

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