The Gunners, Arsenal is set to begin their premier league campaign against West Ham.
Big call from Slaven Bilic as 16-year-old Reece Oxford starts in midfield for West Ham against Arsenal.
For the Gunners, Petr Cech makes his Premier League debut for the club.
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Arsenal XI: Cech; Debuchy, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal; Coquelin, Ramsey; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ozil, Cazorla; Giroud.
West Ham XI: Adrian; Tomkins, Reid, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Oxford, Noble, Kouyate; Payet, Zarate, Sakho.
Head to Head
- Arsenal have won their last 10 league and cup games against West Ham, including nine Premier League matches.
- The Hammers did the double over the Gunners in 2006-07 but since then are winless in 15 league and cup games (D2, L13) against them.
Arsenal
- The Gunners have lost their opening Premier League game just once in the last 14 seasons (W9, D4) – a 3-1 home defeat by Aston Villa in 2013.
- However, they have begun with a victory just once in the past five years, albeit against Crystal Palace last term.
- Arsenal have failed to score in three of their last four home league games.
- Olivier Giroud has scored five goals in five top-flight games against West Ham, while Theo Walcott has also scored five times against the Hammers.
West Ham United
- The Hammers have lost nine times on the opening weekend of a Premier League season – more than any other club.
- They won nine of their first 17 Premier League games last season, but just three of the subsequent 21.
- West Ham are winless in 12 Premier League away games (D5, L7) since a 2-1 victory at West Brom on 2 December 2014.
- Dimitri Payet, who has joined from Marseille, created 135 chances in 2014-15 – the highest figure in the top five European leagues.
