Arsenal will look to extend their lead at the summit of the Premier League table when they make the short trip to Fulham on Saturday evening, live on Sky Sports (5.30pm).
The Gunners leapfrogged title rivals Liverpool in the previous gameweek following a comfortable win at home to West Ham, while Fulham will be bidding to bounce back from consecutive defeats to Aston Villa and Bournemouth.
Fulham vs Arsenal Prediction & Tips
Arsenal To Win and Both Teams To Score @ 13/5 with bet365
Arsenal hit their stride before the international break, racking up four straight wins across three competitions. Their impressive away form includes victories over Man United, Athletic Bilbao, and Newcastle this season. History points to goals at both ends this weekend with Arsenal and Fulham each scoring in eight of the last 10 meetings, including the last four in a row.
Bukayo Saka To Score @ 49/20 with 10Bet
Bukayo Saka is in fine form, scoring three goals and grabbing an assist in his last four appearances across club and international duty. He sealed 2-0 wins for Arsenal against Olympiakos and West Ham, before netting for England during the international break. The winger also has a strong record against Fulham, scoring three times in his last four meetings with the Cottagers.
Fulham Over 3.5 Cards @ 5/1 with Sky Bet
Fulham have a fiery track record against Arsenal, averaging four cards per game in their last four meetings. They’ve also racked up the fourth-most bookings in the Premier League this season (16), receiving four yellow cards shown in two of their last three matches. At 5/1, there’s definite value in backing them to be handed over 3.5 cards once again.
Fulham Form & Team News
It’s been a season of contrasts for Fulham, 14th, who are unbeaten on home soil with four wins and a draw in all competitions, but they are yet to win on the road with one point from four games.
A three-game winning run was halted by back-to-back 3-1 defeats away to Aston Villa and Bournemouth, but Marco Silva’s men can at least look forward to returning to home comforts, where they have won their last four games on the spin.
Silva opted for three at the back in the 3-1 loss to Bournemouth, but is likely to revert back to 4-2-3-1 this weekend. Midfielder Sasa Lukic is expected to be out for over a month after he picked up an injury against Bournemouth and striker Rodrigo Muniz remains on the sidelines with a hamstring injury. Raul Jimenez, who has scored in his last two home games against Arsenal, is a big doubt, as are Kenny Tete and Samuel Chukwueze.
Arsenal Form & Team News
Arsenal head into the eighth gameweek flying high at the top of the table following a return of five wins, a draw, and one defeat from seven games. The Gunners are enjoying a four game winning run in all competitions and are unbeaten in their last seven, six of which they’ve won.
Bukayo Saka has started to sizzle since returning from injury with goals in his last two outings, while Gabriel Martinelli has three goals in his last six appearances. Fans will want to see Viktor Gyokeres rediscover his goalscoring touch, having gone eight games without a goal for club and country.
Skipper Martin Odegaard is likely to be out until the next international break after he was forced off in the win against West Ham. Noni Madueke, Kai Havertz, and Gabriel Jesus are also injured for the visitors.
Head-to-Head Battles and What the Stats Reveal
Arsenal have come out on top in nine of the last 13 meetings between these sides, but recent contests have been far more competitive. In the previous four encounters, each team has claimed one win, with the other two ending in draws, which include a 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage last December and a 2-1 home win for Fulham the season before.
Goals are usually on the cards when these teams lock horns. Both sides have scored in eight of the last 10 meetings, including each of the last four, with over 2.5 goals also landing in eight of those games.
Recent Fulham fixtures have followed a similar trend. Both teams have scored in five of their seven league matches, and over 3.5 goals have been scored in each of their last three outings.
There have also been plenty of cards in recent meetings, with 20 yellows in the last four encounters, the majority of which have been handed to Fulham players (16).
Key Battles on the Pitch
Ryan Sessegnon vs Bukayo Saka
Sessegnon will attempt to stop the in-form Saka who arrives at Craven Cottage with four goal involvements from his last four games for club and country. Sessegnon also carries plenty of threat going forward, scoring last time out against Bournemouth.
Sander Berge vs Eberechi Eze
With Sasa Lukic ruled out, Fulham will look to Sander Berge to anchor the midfield and shoulder more responsibility in breaking up play. The Norwegian will be key to disrupting Arsenal’s attacking rhythm, especially as Eberechi Eze continues to grow in confidence for the Gunners.
Alex Iwobi vs Riccardo Calafiori
With both Rodrigo Muniz and Raul Jimenez potentially sidelined, Fulham may lean heavily on Alex Iwobi to provide attacking spark. The former Arsenal man scored and assisted in Fulham’s most recent home outing. Riccardo Calafiori has made a strong start to the season, but has already collected three yellow cards.