Preview | U21s to host Arsenal in PL2 London derby

West Ham United U21s v Arsenal U21s
Premier League 2, Rush Green Stadium, Friday 7 February 2025, 7pm GMT 

West Ham United U21s are back in Premier League 2 action on Friday evening aiming for their fourth straight league win as they host Arsenal U21s at Rush Green Stadium.

Mark Robson’s development side come into this one in a good streak of form having secured nine points out of a possible nine this calendar year, strengthening their position within the play-off places.

Tickets...

Tickets can be purchased at the turnstiles, priced at £5 for Adults and £1 for U18s. Season Ticket Holders can attend for free by showing their Season Ticket at the entrance.

Travel...

The postcode for Rush Green Stadium - at West Ham United’s first-team training ground - is RM7 0LU.

To access the ground via public transport, fans can take a train to Romford station, then board a 5, 103 or 175 bus for the 15-minute ride and get off at the Barton Avenue stop.

Supporters using public transport are advised to check their journeys before they travel, using resources such as TfL’s Journey Planner and the TfL Go app. Supporters may also wish to visit the National Rail website if travelling on the rail network.

Fans wishing to attend this Premier League 2 fixture by car should note that there is no parking available for spectators at Rush Green Stadium due to onsite construction works.
 

How To Follow...

The game will be blogged live, while a live stream of the fixture will be available across the Club’s website and YouTube channel. A match report, highlights and reaction will also follow the full-time whistle.

Premier League 2 Explained…

To minimise the impact of relegation on future groups of U21 players, the Premier League introduced a new format to its development phase competition in 2023/24.

Replacing the two-division system, the 26 Category One academies now compete in a single tier with 20 regular season fixtures before the top 16 seeded teams advance to single-elimination play-offs.

Regular season fixtures are determined by a draw made according to clubs’ performances over the last three seasons. Each team plays 20 different opponents before the play-offs in May, where they will be drawn against each other based on league positions, with the higher seeded team playing at home. The top 12 are also rewarded with a place in the following season’s Premier League International Cup competition.

Opposition...  

Arsenal’s development side started off their season in fine form with five straight victories in all competitions, including an EFL Trophy win over League One promotion contenders Leyton Orient.

Top of the Premier League 2 standings in September, the young Gunners are now just four points safe of the play-off cut-off point having won just two league games since.

Despite their struggles for form in the league, it has been a successful season in terms of player development, with plenty of youngsters earning senior team opportunities. A heavy fixture schedule including Champions League football, a Premier League title race and a Carabao Cup run, has created regular chances for Academy prospects to step up.

The two sides last met on the opening day of last season where Arsenal first-team youngsters Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly were involved, the latter scoring the opening goal off the bench in a 3-0 victory for the Gunners.

Ones To Watch…

With the second-best goals conceded record in the league, Fin Herrick’s first full season in the development side has been a solid one. Two clean sheets in his last three league outings, the 19-year-old England youth international stands out not just for his shot stopping but his ability on the ball, launching many of West Ham’s attacks with his confident ball control.

Also vital to West Ham’s defensive success is their back three, which has been anchored by Ezra Mayers, who has already made 23 appearances for the U21s and U18s this season. On Tuesday, he played a crucial role in helping Lauris Coggin’s U18s reach the Premier League Cup semi-final. His pace and tackling ability were on full show when on 87 minutes, with the scores level at 2-2, he chased down Manchester United’s Jayce Fitzgerald to make a goal-saving tackle, before the young Hammers eventually won on penalties.

For Arsenal, striker Nathan Butler-Oyedeji is enjoying a great goalscoring season for the development side. Taking on the role of captain for Mehmet Ali’s team following a couple of EFL loan spells, Butler-Oyedeji has eight goals and six assists in thirteen U21s appearances. The 22-year-old striker has also been given the nod in 12 matchday squads for the men’s team including a debut UEFA Champions League appearance in a 3-0 win against Dynamo Zagreb at the Emirates Stadium.

How Things Stand In Premier League 2...

West Ham United U21s are well placed in the play-off spots, with eight wins from 12 matches. They are currently level on points with Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester United, sitting just behind them in the standings. With a game in hand on their nearest rivals, another win on Friday would further consolidate their position in the top 16.