Arteta calls for focus as testing period looms for Arsenal

Mikel Arteta says he is proud of the foundation Arsenal have built in recent weeks but has warned his players that tougher challenges are on the horizon.

The Gunners enjoyed a comfortable 2-0 win over West Ham prior to the international break, with Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka finding the net to take Arsenal to the Premier League summit.

Saka marked his 200th Premier League appearance with his 100th goal involvement, becoming the seventh-youngest player in the competition’s history to reach that milestone, and the youngest since Romelu Lukaku in February 2017 (23 years, 267 days).

Arteta also reached a landmark of his own, taking charge of his 300th game as Arsenal manager, claiming his 177th win in the process.

Only Pep Guardiola at Manchester City (219), Jose Mourinho at Chelsea (196) and Kenny Dalglish at Liverpool (185) have registered more wins as a manager of an English side in their first 300 top-flight games.

“I’m very proud, [300] is a big number for this football club. I want to thank everybody, especially my coaching staff who have been with me since day one,” the Spaniard said.

“I wanted to celebrate it with a win, I've got it. Now we have to prepare well during the international break because what's coming before the next break is going to be really difficult again.

“We’ve had to adjust a lot of things with some players who were coming as well from big injuries and surgeries in the first few weeks of the season.

“So it's been a challenge but the team has been, I think, very convincing in performances and results and it's a good platform now to continue.”

Arsenal will look to extend that momentum when they face a struggling Fulham side on Saturday.

Marco Silva’s men appeared set for victory against Bournemouth in their last outing but capitulated late on, with Antoine Semenyo and Justin Kluivert inspiring a 3-1 comeback win for the Cherries.

It marked Fulham’s second defeat in five days, with Silva admitting his side are enduring “a difficult moment.”

“This moment of the season is very difficult for us. It was tough to lose it the way we lost it,” Silva admitted.

“Until [Bournemouth] equalised they had created zero chances. They arrived in dangerous areas but they didn’t see one clear chance. 

“Two individual moments from two Bournemouth players decided the game. That is the reality. We have to be stronger in those moments, it’s as simple as that. 

“We had things completely under control in terms of organisation but the two moments decided the game and everything was more difficult after that.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Fulham – Alex Iwobi

Fulham’s Alex Iwobi has made eight line-breaking passes into the opposition’s penalty area in the Premier League this season, with only Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes (nine) managing more.

Iwobi has also created four chances via line-breaking passes in the division this term, with Fernandes again the only player to do so more (five).

Arsenal – Declan Rice

While the Gunners have spread their goalscoring duties across the squad well, Rice has been prolific in attack in recent outings.

He has scored and assisted (one each) in each of Arsenal’s last two Premier League games, while also managing six goal involvements (two goals, four assists) across his last seven away London derbies in the Premier League.

MATCH PREDICTION: ARSENAL WIN

Arsenal will peg themselves as favourites ahead of Saturday's clash, with Fulham having only won one of their last 14 Premier League games against Arsenal (D4 L9) – a 2-1 victory in December 2023.

The Cottagers have conceded in each of their last 20 league encounters with Arsenal, highlighting the Gunners’ attacking dominance in this fixture.

Fulham have also suffered back-to-back defeats in the league, conceding three goals in each. Another loss on Saturday would mark their first run of three straight defeats since December 2023.

The last time they conceded three or more goals in three consecutive Premier League matches was in September 2020, a stretch that included a 3-0 home defeat to Arsenal.

While Arsenal have failed to win on their last two visits to Craven Cottage (D1 L1) after a run of five straight victories there between 2012/13 and 2022/23, they remain one of the most consistent sides in London derbies.

Arteta’s side have lost just one of their last 18 in the Premier League (W13 D4), in a 1-0 home defeat to West Ham last season, while the last time the Gunners failed to win in more consecutive league visits to Fulham was in April 1962 (six).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Fulham – 21.5%

Draw – 21.8%

Arsenal – 56.7%