Arsenal return to action in the Premier League this weekend as the leaders gear up for a highly-anticipated showdown with Fulham. Craven Cottage will be the venue for this interesting London Derby as the hosts look to dent the visitors' title ambitions.
Fulham would have entered this tricky tie in spectacular form had it not been for their trip to Brentford last Monday. The newly-promoted side were on a seven-game unbeaten run, with their last defeat prior to that coming in late January.
However, as you can tell, their unbeaten run was ended by the Bees, with Marco Silva's men losing 3-2 to Frank Thomas' side. Manor Solomon got on the scoresheet for the Cottagers to continue his brilliant goalscoring form but the London side were convincingly beaten, irrespective of the scoreline.
Regardless, Fulham are still having an outstanding campaign. Mitrovic and Co. are eighth in the table with 39 points, only three behind fifth-placed Liverpool, and are thus in the race for the European spots. Back-to-back defeats in the league would severely dent these ambitions, which means the hosts will have to inflict revenge on the Gunners when the league leaders come visiting.
The last time these two sides met, the Cottagers were beaten 2-1 despite grabbing the lead through a Gabriel Magalhães error. Unfortunately for the 2021/22 Championship winners, a deflected shot from Martin Odegaard and an error from former Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno helped Saka and Co. complete one of their many brilliant comebacks this season.
The last time Arsenal were in action in the Premier League, the North London giants secured an unforgettable victory over Bournemouth. Arteta's men, who were down 2-0 around the hour mark, pulled off a remarkable comeback, with Reiss Nelson scoring the winning goal with the last kick of the game to secure a 3-2 triumph.
However, while that result secured the Gunners some well-earned plaudits, there have been a few concerning issues plaguing the Premier League leaders. Their solidity at the back and ability to defend set-pieces have been shaky recently, and this was on display on Thursday when the North London giants resumed their UEFA Europa League campaign.
Saka and Co. traveled to Sporting CP for the 1st leg of their round of 16 showdown, with William Saliba giving the hosts a lead in just over 20 minutes. However, just like in the Bournemouth tie, Arsenal conceded from a corner, with Goncalo Inacio drawing the Lions level at the half-an-hour mark.
The Gunners were riddled with questionable defending and went 2-1 down in the 55th minute but a Morita own goal helped the Premier League giants secure a 2-2 draw. Speaking after the game, Arteta pointed to these defensive issues, admitting that his side have been conceding way too easily lately.
Regardless, Arsenal have won their last four matches in a row and will look to make it a fifth straight victory in order to maintain their healthy lead over second-placed Manchester City, who beat Crystal Palace 1-0 on Saturday.
Team news
Fulham: Joao Palhinha is suspended for this tie, which is a huge blow, as the Portuguese midfielder has been one of the signings of the summer. Layvin Kurzawa and Neeskens Kebano are sidelined but Tom Cairney could return from injury in time for this fixture. Cedric Soares, who's on loan from Arsenal, cannot play against his parent club but Bernd Leno and Willian, two former Gunners, will come face-to-face with the North London giants.
Arsenal: Eddie Nketiah remains sidelined while Mohamed Elneny remains a long-term absentee. However, fans were given a late boost as Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard are said to be in contention for this game. Kieran Tierney and Martin Odegaard, who missed out on the Sporting CP draw due to illness, look likely to return. Meanwhile, Reiss Nelson and Fabio Vieira will be pushing for starts.
Key stats
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Arsenal could become the first team in Premier League history to win five London Derbies away from home without conceding if they beat Fulham with a clean sheet.
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The Gunners are currently on a nine-game unbeaten streak against the Cottagers, winning seven.
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However, Marco Silva's men have lost only once in their last eight games across all competitions.
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Fulham have lost 16 of their last 18 run-ins with a team top of the Premier League. However, their two victories — against Manchester United and Chelsea — both occurred in the month of March.
Broadcast listings
Match details, result and original broadcast info
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