Arsenal vs Fulham Match Preview (1 Viewer)

In pursuit of maintaining their streak of dominance in London derbies, Arsenal is set to host Fulham at the Emirates Stadium in gameweek three of the 2023-24 Premier League season on Saturday afternoon.

In their recent encounters within the capital, the two teams experienced contrasting outcomes. Mikel Arteta's squad emerged victorious with a 1-0 triumph over Crystal Palace, while Fulham suffered a 3-0 defeat against Brentford on their home turf. Akin to their previous Premier League match against Nottingham Forest, Arsenal faced difficulties in finding their rhythm against a well-organized Crystal Palace defense. The team encountered a tense final phase on Monday night, marked by Takehiro Tomiyasu's contentious red card. Nonetheless, a composed Martin Odegaard penalty propelled Arsenal into the lead before Tomiyasu's two questionable bookings in seven minutes. Despite the post-game debates sparked by these events, Arsenal's strength in London derbies prevailed, enabling them to maintain their flawless start to the season.

One of only three teams to secure back-to-back victories at the commencement of the 2023-24 Premier League campaign, Arsenal presently holds a commendable position in third place, trailing behind champions Manchester City and early leaders Brighton & Hove Albion.

The triumph at Selhurst Park marked the end of Arsenal's four-game losing streak on Monday nights under Arteta, who also celebrated the team's 200th Premier League clean sheet away from home – a tally exceeded only by Manchester United (205) and Chelsea (204). However, the team's defensive vulnerabilities at the Emirates Stadium have been a noticeable concern.

In their previous eight Premier League matches on home turf, Arteta's side managed just a single clean sheet. Fulham, however, have not exhibited the attacking prowess that would challenge Arsenal's defense. Following the protracted Aleksandar Mitrovic transfer saga, which concluded with Mitrovic's move to Al-Hilal, Fulham's manager Marco Silva is now strategizing for a future without their talismanic striker, a transition that has encountered initial hurdles.

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After snatching a narrow victory at Everton's home ground, Silva's team suffered a resounding 3-0 defeat against Brentford, as Bryan Mbeumo's brace and a Yoane Wissa goal inflicted damage at Craven Cottage, where Tim Ream was also sent off. Despite summer signing Raul Jimenez's limited impact in filling Mitrovic's shoes, Fulham finds themselves in 13th place on the table before their visit to the Emirates Stadium. Many expect their current sequence of underwhelming away results to persist.

Indeed, Fulham's away performances have followed a pattern of loss-win-loss-win since May, with only two draws during the 2022-23 Premier League campaign away from home. Fulham fans might consider a goalless draw at the Emirates Stadium an acceptable outcome, given the circumstances. However, recent history has not favored them against Arsenal. They suffered a 2-1 loss in this fixture in August 2022 and a 3-0 defeat at Craven Cottage. A masterful Leandro Trossard display contributed to Arsenal's unbeaten streak of 10 matches against Fulham.

INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS ​

Due to his red card after being booked twice in the victory over Palace, Arsenal's full-back Tomiyasu will be sidelined due to suspension for this London derby. He joins the injured list along with Jurrien Timber, who is out due to an ACL injury, and strikers Gabriel Jesus and Folarin Balogun, both grappling with knee and foot problems respectively. Meanwhile, the status of Albert Sambi Lokonga's muscular issue remains undisclosed, but it is likely that the Belgian will depart the club before the end of the month.

On a positive note, Oleksandr Zinchenko has fully recovered after his appearance off the bench against Palace and is expected to directly replace Tomiyasu on the left flank. Despite Mikel Arteta's assurances of Kieran Tierney's place in his plans, the Scottish player has yet to secure regular playing time.

Defensive suspensions are a shared experience for both Arsenal and Fulham. Fulham's Ream was also sent off with two yellow cards in the loss to Brentford. This has created an opportunity for Calvin Bassey to partner with Issa Diop, while Tosin Adarabioyo, who is seeking a transfer, remains on the periphery.

With the exception of Ream, Fulham has no other selection worries for the upcoming game. Vital midfielder Joao Palhinha has recovered from a shoulder injury and is set to return to the lineup if deemed fit enough.

This week, there is a possibility of former players Willian and Bernd Leno facing their previous clubs, but only Leno is certain to make the squad, as Willian's availability is uncertain due to an undisclosed concern. Adama Traore, having made a late appearance in the previous weekend, is under consideration for his first full Premier League start for Fulham.

POSSIBLE LINE-UPS​

Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Rice, Havertz; Saka, Nketiah, Martinelli

Fulham possible starting lineup:
Leno; Tete, Diop, Bassey, Robinson; Reed, Palhinha; Traore, Pereira, Decordova-Reid; Jimenez

EXPERT PREDICTION ​

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Arsenal 3-1 Fulham

Arteta has tried a new way of playing for Arsenal in the first two games, which caused some problems as they were getting used to it. But Arsenal should have no trouble being better than a struggling Fulham team.

With Palhinha back, Fulham's midfield will be stronger. Also, Arsenal's defense at their home stadium is not bad. So, it seems likely that Arsenal will win their third game in a row this season.