Arsenal
Arsenal look to stretch their lead as Fulham visit the Emirates
Arsenal sit at the top of the Premier League table heading into Saturday’s London derby against Fulham at the Emirates Stadium. They are three points clear of second-placed Manchester City after beating Newcastle United 1-0 last weekend. The timing of this match is huge; Arsenal can open up a six-point gap at the top since City don’t play again until Monday night against Everton.
Mikel Arteta‘s side might be feeling some heavy legs, though, having just come through a 1-1 draw with Atlético Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final. This means they’re facing Fulham with less than 72 hours to recover. Still, history is on their side, as Arsenal haven’t lost any of their last 32 league home games against the Cottagers, the longest unbeaten run one team has ever had against a single opponent in English football.
How Arsenal could line up against Fulham?
Arsenal will likely stick with their usual 4-2-3-1 formation, with David Raya in goal. The Spaniard is still one of the most reliable keepers in the league, even if he can look a bit shaky on crosses at times. Ben White should start at right-back to provide some calm on the ball, though he can sometimes struggle to track back during really fast-paced stretches of the game. William Saliba and Gabriel should start in the middle of the defence. Saliba is still reading the game incredibly well, while Gabriel provides the muscle and dominance in the air, even if his aggression leads to the occasional unnecessary yellow card.
Piero Hincapié might start at left-back, especially with Jurriën Timber still nursing an injury. Timber hasn’t played since limping off against Everton in mid-March and looks like he’ll miss out again this weekend. Hincapié is fast and a solid defender, but he’s still getting used to exactly what Arteta wants from him positionally.
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In the midfield pivot, Martín Zubimendi and Declan Rice are the likely duo. Zubimendi is great at keeping things moving under pressure, while Rice provides the energy to get up and down the pitch, though he does sometimes get a bit too caught up in the press. Behind the striker, Martin Ødegaard should return to pull the strings, despite having played a lot of minutes lately.
The forward line Arsenal could deploy
Noni Madueke could get the nod on the right wing, bringing pace and trickery, even if his end product can be hit or miss. Eberechi Eze on the left offers the flair Arteta loves; he seems to have recovered from the knock he took against Newcastle quickly enough to play against Atlético in midweek.
Gabriel Jesus is expected to lead the line because Kai Havertz is out with a muscle injury from the Newcastle game. Mikel Merino is also still sidelined. Jesus brings plenty of work rate and smart movement, even if he doesn’t always finish as many chances as he probably should.
White with 5/10 – Arsenal players rated from their 1-1 draw at Metropolitano
Arsenal go into this one as clear favourites, and this lineup shows a team trying to balance injuries and fatigue without losing their spark.
Arsenal (4-2-3-1): David Raya – Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel, Piero Hincapié – Martín Zubimendi, Declan Rice – Noni Madueke, Martin Ødegaard, Eberechi Eze – Gabriel Jesus.