West Brom boss Sam Allardyce insists Arsenal are in a relegation battle just like Westbromwich Albion, his new team.
The Gunners are 15th in the table having lost five of their last seven Primmer League matches.
Allardyce, who has never suffered relegation with his seven previous top-flight clubs, replaced Slaven Bilic at the Hawthorns last week.
The Baggies are five points from safety after 14 games and host Arsenal on January 2.
Asked if he views the Gunners as a relegation rival, Allardyce said: “If they are in the bottom eight at the moment, yes, absolutely.
They’ve only won maybe one in the last 10 or so, and it appears their big results have come in the Europa League.
“And of course getting beat again last night, even though it’s not in the league, as it does with our players, drains the confidence of Arsenal’s players, of course it will.
Because they’ll be wondering what has hit them, why they are down there, and what it is going to take to get out of that position.
“I know what it takes, I hope I can convince the players to respond to what I say on what it takes to get out of it.
I hope we can push on Arsenal when they play us because they’ve got a lack of confidence, and try to beat them – or anybody in the bottom eight.”
He added: “[Arsenal boss] Mikel Arteta would not think they’d be in that position at this moment in time, but he seems a strong character, seems to not move away from what his beliefs are – which is what we all have to do.”