Arsenal return from the international break with a tricky away trip to Craven Cottage, where they face Fulham in Saturday evening’s Premier League clash.
The Gunners head into the weekend at the top of the table after displacing Liverpool just before the break, while Fulham are looking to bounce back from consecutive defeats in league and cup competitions.
Arsenal went into the international pause in top form, putting an end to several unwanted streaks in the process. They finally broke their poor run at St James’ Park, avenged their home losses to Olympiacos, and overcame West Ham United, a team that had recently caused them plenty of trouble.
That 2–0 victory over the Hammers lifted Mikel Arteta’s side to first place in the Premier League, a position they held onto thanks to Chelsea’s win over Liverpool. Arsenal are level on points with Manchester City but lead the way defensively, boasting the best record in the division so far. Their depth has been a real strength — nine different players have already found the net for the Gunners in league play this season.
Including their EFL Cup victory against Port Vale, Arsenal have now won four matches in a row in all competitions. They’ve also been dominant in London derbies, losing just once in their last 18 league meetings with fellow capital sides. Even away from home, that record stands firm — though their one defeat on the road came against a familiar foe.
Marco Silva’s Fulham have proven to be a difficult opponent for Arsenal in recent meetings. The Cottagers stunned the Gunners with a 2–1 win at Craven Cottage on New Year’s Eve in 2023 and managed to earn a 1–1 draw a year later, when Bukayo Saka’s late winner was ruled out for offside.
This season, Fulham have shown real resilience at home. They remain unbeaten in front of their supporters, collecting seven points from their first three league games at Craven Cottage. Brentford, Leeds United, and Manchester United have all tried and failed to take maximum points there.
However, Silva’s men have struggled on their travels, losing back-to-back away games 3–1 to Aston Villa and Bournemouth before the break. Against the Cherries, Fulham even took the lead in the 70th minute before collapsing to a late comeback.
Currently sitting 14th in the table, Fulham are four points above the relegation zone and four points behind the top six — a reminder of how fine the margins remain in the early stages of the season.
Despite Fulham’s solid home form, history does not favor them in this fixture. They have failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their last 20 Premier League games against Arsenal, who have not gone goalless against the Cottagers since August 2008.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard is set for a spell on the sidelines after suffering a knee injury against West Ham. The Norwegian midfielder, who recently became the first player in Premier League history to be substituted in the first half of three straight starts, is expected to be out for around a month.
He joins an increasingly crowded treatment room at the Emirates, with Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, and Noni Madueke all recovering from knee issues. To make matters worse, Ben White was unable to take part in Thursday’s training session, sparking concerns about yet another setback for the injury-prone defender.
There was at least one positive development for Mikel Arteta, as new signing Piero Hincapié returned to training on October 16 after a groin problem. The Ecuadorian defender could make his long-awaited Premier League debut this weekend, though he is likely to start on the bench as he eases back to full fitness.
Fulham manager Marco Silva is also dealing with a few injury worries of his own. Midfielder Sasa Lukic limped off just 14 minutes into the game against Bournemouth with a groin issue, and Serbia boss Dragan Stojković has since confirmed that he will be out for between four and six weeks.
The Cottagers’ problems deepened during the international break, as Samuel Chukwueze reportedly picked up an injury while representing Nigeria in their 4–0 victory over Benin. There are also doubts over Raul Jimenez, who is racing to recover from a hip problem in time for the London derby.
Meanwhile, Kenny Tete (knee) and Rodrigo Muniz (thigh) remain unavailable, but there is some good news for Fulham fans. Former Arsenal players Emile Smith Rowe and Alex Iwobi, along with goalkeeper Bernd Leno, are all fit and ready to face their old club.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Fulham possible starting lineup:
Leno; Diop, Bassey, Andersen; Castagne, Berge, Cairney, Sessegnon; Wilson, Iwobi; King
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Eze, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Gyokeres, Trossard
EXPERT PREDICTIONS
Fulham 0-2 Arsenal
