League leaders Arsenal return to the Emirates on Saturday evening as they host fellow London side Fulham, aiming to stretch their advantage at the top of the Premier League title race.
Fresh from a demanding European clash, Mikel Arteta’s side will need to quickly refocus domestically against a Fulham team still chasing an outside shot at European qualification.
Arsenal come into this fixture on the back of a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final. It was a heated encounter, with both sides converting penalties, but Arteta’s men will feel they left Spain in a strong position ahead of the return leg.
Unlike some European rivals who get scheduling relief, Arsenal must immediately switch back to league action. That said, they did manage to steady themselves domestically last weekend with a narrow 1-0 win over Newcastle United, ending a worrying run of poor results across competitions.
That victory kept them three points clear at the summit, and with Manchester City not in action until later, Arsenal have a chance to open up a six-point cushion. Their defensive strength at home has been a cornerstone of their campaign, conceding just 11 league goals at the Emirates this season.
Fulham, meanwhile, arrive with slightly renewed confidence after edging Aston Villa 1-0, thanks to a first-half strike from Ryan Sessegnon. However, attacking consistency remains a major concern for Marco Silva’s side.
The Cottagers have scored just four goals in their last seven matches in all competitions, a run that has seen them slip into mid-table. Still, they remain within touching distance of the European spots, sitting only a couple of points off the top six.
History does not favour Fulham heading into this clash. They have never won a Premier League away game against a team starting the day top of the table. Even more striking, Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 32 home league matches against Fulham — a record that underlines the scale of the challenge facing the visitors.
Away form is another issue. Fulham are currently on a three-game run without a win or even a goal on the road, which does not bode well against one of the league’s most disciplined defensive units.
Team News
Arsenal have a few injury concerns to manage. Kai Havertz is expected to miss out with a muscular problem, while Jurrien Timber and Mikel Merino remain sidelined. There is some positive news, though, as Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze are both pushing to return to the starting lineup after limited involvement in midweek.Riccardo Calafiori is also back in contention and could feature from the start.
Fulham have their own setbacks. Ryan Sessegnon’s recent goal-scoring return was cut short by injury, ruling him out for this match. Former Arsenal midfielder Alex Iwobi is also unavailable, while Kenny Tete may only be fit enough for the bench.
However, familiar faces such as Bernd Leno and Emile Smith Rowe are expected to start against their former club.
Predicted Lineups
Arsenal (possible):Raya; Mosquera, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Gyokeres, Eze
Fulham (possible):
Leno; Castagne, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson; Berge, Lukic; Wilson, Smith Rowe, Chukwueze; Jimenez
Prediction
Arsenal 1-0 Fulham
