Fulham manager Marco Silva wants two Arsenal players
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Fulham manager Marco Silva has dismissed concerns over Arsenal’s set-piece strength, reminding the Gunners of his side’s success in such situations last season.
The Cottagers are set to host Arsenal on Sunday in a highly anticipated Premier League clash. Much of the pre-match conversation has focused on Arsenal’s proficiency from corners, particularly after William Saliba capitalised on a set-piece to score during their 2-0 victory over Manchester United on Wednesday.
However, Silva remains confident, drawing on Fulham’s strong record against the Gunners in the previous campaign. Speaking at a press conference on Friday, he highlighted his team’s success in dead-ball situations against Arsenal.
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“Last season, we did really well in that situation,” Silva said. “We scored twice against them from set-pieces, and the reality is that they didn’t score [from a set-piece] against us. Let’s hope we can repeat the same.”
The Fulham boss also noted Arsenal’s respect for their opponents, suggesting the Gunners will be even more cautious after last season’s results. Fulham secured a hard-fought draw at the Emirates and a memorable victory at Craven Cottage during the 2023/24 season.
Gabriel with William Saliba on the pitch after the victory over Manchester United.
He didn’t have his centre-back partner tonight but it wasn’t a problem.
Arsenal family. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/wSbkosPHIT
— now.arsenal (@now_arsenaI) December 4, 2024
“No one surprises anyone in the Premier League anymore,” Silva said. “You know how Mikel [Arteta] and the Arsenal team respect everybody in this competition. They know it’s tough to win games at this level.
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“Probably, they are going to be even more aware because the reality is we played two great games against them last season. But I believe it’s going to be even more difficult this time.”
Fulham’s confidence is tempered by the challenge of fixture congestion. Having defeated Brighton 3-1 on Thursday night, Marco Silva acknowledged the short recovery time could pose a challenge for his squad.
“With the game last night, it’s going to be a really short turnaround,” he admitted. “But we like this type of challenge, and we’ll be ready for it.”
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