Arsenal are gearing up to welcome Fulham to the Emirates Stadium this Saturday, ready for another exciting London derby clash.
Merely five days removed from a hard-fought 1-0 triumph against Crystal Palace, the Gunners aim to navigate a potentially smoother encounter against a Fulham side grappling with challenges at both offensive and defensive ends.
Fulham experienced the highs of toppling a lackluster Everton side on the season's opening day, only to face a disheartening defeat at the hands of Brentford in their own backyard during their most recent outing.
The Arsenal vs. Fulham showdown is slated for a 3 pm BST kick-off on Saturday, August 26, 2023. As for UK viewers, this match won't be televised live due to the customary 3 p.m. Saturday broadcast blackout.
Team Updates:
Arsenal will be without Takehiro Tomiyasu, who received a red card against Crystal Palace. His absence might open the door for Gabriel to make a starting appearance after being on the bench for the last two matches.
In other news, the return of Folarin Balogun and Albert Sambi Lokonga seems imminent. However, their inclusion might not align with Mikel Arteta's current plans.
On the Fulham front, captain Tim Ream's suspension stemming from his red card against Brentford will further weaken an already fragile defense. The role of stepping in should fall to summer signing Calvin Bassey.
A notable boost for Marco Silva's squad is the potential starting role for Joao Palhinha, who made a significant impact coming off the bench in the previous match.
Forecasting the Outcome:
While Arsenal's performance this season hasn't been characterised by unwavering confidence, their record of two narrow wins, accompanied by tense late-game moments, signifies a promising trend.
Against a Fulham side struggling offensively due to the absence of Aleksandar Mitrovic and showing vulnerabilities at the defensive front, Arsenal's victory should be comfortably secured. A prediction of Arsenal triumphing 2-0 appears quite plausible.
Comments