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Preview: Arsenal head down to Craven Cottage to face Fulham

Preview: Arsenal head down to Craven Cottage to face Fulham

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The first Saturday evening Premier League fixture after the October international break sees league leaders Arsenal visit local rivals Fulham.

By Neel Shelat

Ødegaard to remain absent until November

Arsenal will have been glad to see that none of their stars picked up any noteworthy fitness concerns on international duty, but fans did receive one piece of bad news during the break. The BBC reported that Martin Ødegaard would not return until mid-November after he suffered a medial collateral ligament injury against West Ham earlier this month. The Norwegian international’s start to the season was marred by a shoulder injury, so he has barely played over 200 league minutes this term.

The Gunners are not short of depth after their big summer transfer window, so they will hope to see someone like Eberechi Eze step up and deliver in the coming weeks.

Fulham sweating on Jiménez’s fitness

Fulham are not without injury issues of their own. Having had an extremely quiet transfer window for the most part, they have far fewer options to pick from. So, Marco Silva’s attack could well be significantly weaker this weekend as Rodrigo Muniz looks set to remain unavailable due to his hamstring issue, while doubts remain over Raul Jiménez’s fitness after his hip injury against Aston Villa.

Besides potentially having to start without either senior striker on the pitch, the Cottagers will likely also miss two full backs in Kenny Tete and Antonee Robinson in addition to midfielder Saša Lukić.

Arsenal seeking their first win in three seasons at Craven Cottage

Arsenal maintained a perfect record at Craven Cottage for ten years between 2013 and 2023, but have failed to win in their last two visits. Jiménez has been on the scoresheet for the hosts on both occasions. He got the equaliser on New Year’s Eve in 2023/24 before Bobby De Cordova-Reid went on to win it in the second half, and he also opened the scoring in a 1-1 draw last season.

The Gunners have failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their last four meetings with Fulham, so they will hope that their even stingier defence can now end that streak.

Fulham’s block set to test Arsenal’s evolving attack

Fulham have rarely been the flashiest of sides in the Premier League, but their stability in recent seasons can be attributed to a solid and simple approach. Silva’s side were among the top six in terms of xG conceded last season, as they have always prioritised maintaining a solid defensive block. They haven’t been quite as good this term and only have one clean sheet so far, but their ability to switch to a back five against big teams means they are never easy to break down.

Arsenal have often had difficulties facing disciplined blocks under Mikel Arteta, whose conservative tendencies often result in slow possession circulation against such teams. However, the Gunners have shown signs of a shift in approach in recent weeks as they are trying to move the ball forward and attack much more quickly. Doing that might just be the key to breaking down Fulham’s block.

Prediction

There is a significant disparity between the two sides’ attacking firepower, so Arsenal should come away with a comfortable win.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Premier League with FotMob this season – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Preview: Arsenal head down to Craven Cottage to face Fulham

The first Saturday evening Premier League fixture after the October international break sees league leaders Arsenal visit local rivals Fulham.

By Neel Shelat

Ødegaard to remain absent until November

Arsenal will have been glad to see that none of their stars picked up any noteworthy fitness concerns on international duty, but fans did receive one piece of bad news during the break. The BBC reported that Martin Ødegaard would not return until mid-November after he suffered a medial collateral ligament injury against West Ham earlier this month. The Norwegian international’s start to the season was marred by a shoulder injury, so he has barely played over 200 league minutes this term.

The Gunners are not short of depth after their big summer transfer window, so they will hope to see someone like Eberechi Eze step up and deliver in the coming weeks.

Fulham sweating on Jiménez’s fitness

Fulham are not without injury issues of their own. Having had an extremely quiet transfer window for the most part, they have far fewer options to pick from. So, Marco Silva’s attack could well be significantly weaker this weekend as Rodrigo Muniz looks set to remain unavailable due to his hamstring issue, while doubts remain over Raul Jiménez’s fitness after his hip injury against Aston Villa.

Besides potentially having to start without either senior striker on the pitch, the Cottagers will likely also miss two full backs in Kenny Tete and Antonee Robinson in addition to midfielder Saša Lukić.

Arsenal seeking their first win in three seasons at Craven Cottage

Arsenal maintained a perfect record at Craven Cottage for ten years between 2013 and 2023, but have failed to win in their last two visits. Jiménez has been on the scoresheet for the hosts on both occasions. He got the equaliser on New Year’s Eve in 2023/24 before Bobby De Cordova-Reid went on to win it in the second half, and he also opened the scoring in a 1-1 draw last season.

The Gunners have failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their last four meetings with Fulham, so they will hope that their even stingier defence can now end that streak.

Fulham’s block set to test Arsenal’s evolving attack

Fulham have rarely been the flashiest of sides in the Premier League, but their stability in recent seasons can be attributed to a solid and simple approach. Silva’s side were among the top six in terms of xG conceded last season, as they have always prioritised maintaining a solid defensive block. They haven’t been quite as good this term and only have one clean sheet so far, but their ability to switch to a back five against big teams means they are never easy to break down.

Arsenal have often had difficulties facing disciplined blocks under Mikel Arteta, whose conservative tendencies often result in slow possession circulation against such teams. However, the Gunners have shown signs of a shift in approach in recent weeks as they are trying to move the ball forward and attack much more quickly. Doing that might just be the key to breaking down Fulham’s block.

Prediction

There is a significant disparity between the two sides’ attacking firepower, so Arsenal should come away with a comfortable win.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Premier League with FotMob this season – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.