Arsenal vs West Ham referee once saved Julen Lopetegui his job
West Ham visit Arsenal in Nuno Espirito Santo's second game in charge on Saturday.
West Ham looked better in their 1-1 draw with Everton, but still struggled to defend crosses, with Michael Keane's first-half header putting the hosts 1-0 up.
Declan Rice is set to play against West Ham for the fifth time since joining the Gunners for £100million in 2023.
All eyes are on how Nuno will set up against Mikel Arteta's side, who pose a worrying threat for the Hammers from corners, with a new announcement made ahead of Saturday’s encounter.
Julen Lopetegui involved in controversial incident back in December 2024
Ahead of this weekend’s clash, the Premier League have announced the match officials, with John Brooks set to take charge of the Leeds encounter.
Brooks is considered one of the least experienced officials in England, and in December 2024, a decision made by him went in favour of Julen Lopetegui in a tough period for the Spaniard.
In that game refereed by John Brooks, Wolves were denied what they felt were penalties on two occasions. One was when Goncalo Guedes was allegedly fouled inside the area by Emerson.
Another was when Kostas Mavropanos stepped on Jean‐Ricner Bellegarde’s toes from behind, with replays suggesting contact, but Brooks didn’t award a penalty.
In the end, the decision had a big impact, with West Ham going on to win 2-1 against Wolves, in a game that saved Lopetegui's job.
However, it made no difference for the Spaniard as he was sacked one month later after poor results continued.
West Ham's record when John Brooks has been in charge
Given his inexperience, it will not come as a surprise to see that Brooks has officiated three West Ham games in his career.
The most recent of which came back in the 2024-25 season in the win against Lopetegui's former side Wolves.
West Ham games officiated by John Brooks:
- West Ham 2‑1 Wolves
- West Ham 1‑1 Tottenham
- West Ham 3‑1 Chelsea
In total, the Hammers are unbeaten with Brooks in charge and will hope that can continue against tough opponents at the weekend.
Against opponents who will be challenging in the air, Brooks will have to ensure that he keeps an eye out for any fouls from set-pieces.
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