Arsenal sent title warning with West Ham "due" win against Premier League side

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Flynn Downes thinks West Ham are "due" a Premier League scalp (Image: Jon Hobley/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Flynn Downes thinks West Ham are "due" a Premier League scalp (Image: Jon Hobley/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Flynn Downes has warned Arsenal's title dreamers West Ham are “due” a win against one of the big guns, saying: “We don't fear them.”

The Hammers return to the high-wire of their relegation battle for a date with the Premier League front-runners on Sunday looking to reboot their home form. They repaired the damage of a 5-1 drubbing by Newcastle – West Ham's first defeat at the London Stadium in 2023 – with a vital three points at Fulham to stay out of the bottom three last weekend.

In a fixture the Gunners have not always enjoyed since 2019, the Hammers have beaten Arsenal 1-0 and drawn 3-3 (after leading 3-0) and midfielder Downes said: “We are are due a result against a big team and I think it’s coming.

“We got a big win against Fulham the other day so it’s positives and we’ll take that into Sunday. Look at our team - our team is a good team. We don’t fear them, they are coming to our home, so we’re going to take them on and that’s it.”

West Ham preserved their dream of lifting a trophy with a hard-fought 1-1 draw in their Europa Conference League quarter-final first leg against Gent on Thursday night.

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They will need to play better to reach the last four in the return leg next week and Downes admitted: “In the Premier League it obviously hasn’t been our best campaign, but we’re looking at this competition like this is our chance to win a trophy. For the club and for everyone it’s massive, that’s the goal.”

Arsenal sent title warning with West Ham "due" win against Premier League sideMikel Arteta has been warned about West Ham (Dave Howarth - CameraSport via Getty Images)

Danny Ings' first goal in Europe gave the Hammers a foothold in the tie, and the former England striker said: “To stay in it and not lose was massive for us going into next week.

“We will go back to our stadium with our fans and it will be a completely different game. It’s one we need to take on the front foot and push on to go through.

“It’s been a few years since I was last in Europe, so to be back in it and score is really nice. But at the same time we were disappointed not to come away with a win to take into next week.”

Mike Walters

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