In normal circumstances, you would think that West Ham’s best possibility of a result would be to sit tight and frustrate Arsenal. It’s worked well for Nuno so many times this season. It’s been proven to work well in some key games against Arsenal.

And that would be fine if West Ham had enough fixtures left for a point to feel really valuable. But they don’t. They need wins, especially when faced with a resurgent Spurs. At some point, West Ham have to go for it.

And that’s against an Arsenal who look more willing to go for it than at any point over the past four months. How couldn’t they when you consider the boosts that Arteta’s side have enjoyed over the past week alone?

Mikel Arteta believes Bukayo Saka’s “aura” can propel Arsenal to Premier League glory with his side just three matches away from a first title in 22 years.

“Obviously his role has grown around the club, around the team and on the pitch towards the opponent as well,” Arteta said after Saka inspired Arsenal to wins over Fulham and Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semi-final second leg.

“You sense that. He has got a presence now, he has got an aura. He has got something special.

“He is a different player, he is a player that can change a game at any moment. And creating that fear in the opponent is something important.

“It’s been a joy. We know him on a human level. And on the football level, what he has provided to this club, and what he did the other night (against Atleti) was just remarkable.”

Nuno Espirito Santo insists he has given no thought to his future at West Ham whether they are relegated or not.

The West Ham board are understood to want Nuno, who signed a three-year deal when he was appointed in September, to stay on as head coach even if they do go down to the Championship.

“I’m going to be honest with you – I don’t have one second to think about next season,” said Portuguese coach Nuno.

“It’s so demanding what we have, the challenge, especially the game on Sunday, that’s what we have to focus on.

“I don’t have enough energy to think about what’s ahead. It’s tomorrow, then tomorrow, day-by-day.

“All the club, all the staff, the board, the players, the fans, we have our mission. It’s about Sunday and we just focus on Sunday.”

Arsenal’s visit to West Ham on Sunday has the potential to be the most decisive Premier League game of the season, and maybe in the competition’s history, given the potential direct consequences. It could go some way to deciding the title, but also the final relegation spot.

Consider the cascading stakes. If Arsenal win, they will be able to see the trophy. It would leave fixtures against a relegated Burnley and a Crystal Palace preparing for a Europa Conference final three days later. There’s also the possibility of City being affected by a sense of the title drifting away.

On the other side, a West Ham defeat would mathematically secure Leeds United’s survival, the day before Daniel Farke’s side travel to Tottenham Hotspur. It’s impossible not to think Leeds’s intensity would be affected, and Spurs could secure another crucial win. That could be fatal for West Ham. It only ratchets up that pressure.

If Arsenal can do Tottenham a favour and beat West Ham, Spurs would go into Monday night’s game against Leeds with the chance to move themselves four points clear of the bottom three with two games to go, and with a much healthier goal difference.

Tottenham would then require just one win from their final two games, or even two draws, to get over the line. Spurs go to Chelsea on 17 May before finishing their season at home to Everton.

It’s advantage Arsenal in the title race. If Arsenal beat West Ham on Sunday and Manchester City fail to beat Crystal Palace at home, it would mean the Gunners would be able to lift the title at the Emirates with a victory over relegated Burnley in their final home game of the season.

This looks to be Arsenal’s trickiest game by far, as the Hammers are battling for survival. After that, the Gunners will play relegated Burnley and finish their season at a Palace team who will be preparing for a European final a few days later.

Remaining fixtures:

• Sunday 10 May: West Ham (a)
• Monday 18 May: Burnley (h)
• Sunday 24 May: Crystal Palace (a)
• Saturday 30 May: PSG (Champions League final)

A heavy defeat to Brentford may not have been totally deserved for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, yet is nonetheless ill-timed and highly-damaging. Now the visit of title-chasing Arsenal is unwelcome, too.

But if West Ham can get something from the Arsenal game then a trip against Newcastle and a home clash with Leeds to finish the season might just be the ticket to get them clear of the drop zone.

Remaining fixtures:

• 9 May - Arsenal (H)
• 17 May - Newcastle (A)
• 24 May - Leeds (H)

Arsenal remain without Jurrien Timber and Mikel Merino. Mikel Arteta even admitted the pair may not return before the end of the season as they struggle to recover from ankle and foot injuries respectively.

Possible line-up XI: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Rice, Lewis-Skelly, Saka, Eze, Trossard, Gyokeres

The Hammers are a point shy of safety and opened the door to Tottenham with a 3-0 defeat to Brentford last time out, with Spurs duly obliging by beating Aston Villa, leaving Nuno Espirito Santo’s men running out of time.

But Nuno can call on a full-strength team, with keeper Lukasz Fabianski the only absence with a lower back injury.

Possible line-up: Hermansen, Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Disasi, Diouf, Bowen, Fernandes, Soucek, Summerville, Wilson, Castellanos

It’s rare for Premier League game to feel so consequential at both top and bottom, but here we are: it’s West Ham v Arsenal in a massive clash for the relegation fight and the title race. We’ll have all the build-up between now and 4:30pm.