Match Preview
Arsenal versus Fulham
Premier League Match Day 35 25_26 at Emirates Stadium
Saturday 2nd May KO: 17:30
Referee:
Jarred Gillett (Australia)
Live on Sky Sports
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Fulham head to the Emirates for Saturday evening's London derby boosted by their hard earnd win over Aston Villa. They face an Arsenal side hoping to re-establish a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League table,
A few hours before Arsenal's nervy one-goal victory last weekend, Fulham snapped their scoreless sequence courtesy of an identical triumph at home to Aston Villa, by virtue of Ryan Sessegnon's first-half strike.
Marco Silva's men had failed to fire in a 2-0 loss to Liverpool and goalless draw with Brentford prior to the visit of the Villans, but the Cottagers are now at least somewhat back among the goals amid a particularly trying attacking period.
Indeed, Fulham have only found the back of the net in two of their last seven games in all competitions - netting a mere four goals in that time - to slip down to 10th in the standings, albeit just two points below sixth-placed Brighton & Hove Albion.
European sojourns are therefore still not out of the question for The Cottagers, but whether they would compete on the continent under Silva is a different matter
For now, Silva is simply striving to end Fulham's three-game winless and scoreless run on the road, while also bidding for a Cottagers club first; the visitors have never won a Premier League away match against the team starting that day at the top of the table.
The unpleasant statistics keep on coming for Fulham fans, as Arsenal have not lost any of their previous 32 league home games against the Cottagers - the most one team have ever gone without defeat to a single opponent in English football history.
Paris Saint-Germain might have been able to postpone their league game in between their two UCL quarter-final clashes with Liverpool, as Ligue 1 sought to give the holders the best possible chance of progression, but Premier League teams are not afforded such a luxury.
Therefore, Arsenal must pit their wits against Fulham fewer than 72 hours on from a fiery stalemate with Atletico Madrid, who gave away a penalty for Viktor Gyokeres to convert, won one of their own for Julian Alvarez to hammer home, and escaped conceding another for a David Hancko 'foul' on Eberechi Eze.
A "fuming" Arteta did not hold his tongue when discussing the latter incident, but Arsenal are nevertheless in a favourable position ahead of next week's second leg, having equalled an all-time club record in the Spanish capital.
Back to domestic matters, Arsenal stopped the Premier League rot with a classic unconvincing 1-0 win vs. Newcastle United last weekend, snapping a run of four straight losses across league, FA Cup and EFL Cup action and moving three points clear of Manchester City in the process.
Arteta's men can now open up a six-point gap at the summit of the Premier League table, as the Sky Blues do not play again until Monday night against Everton, and their astounding record of just 11 goals conceded at the Emirates in the 2025-26 top flight makes for worrying reading for their goal-shy visitors.
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Fulham have won just one of their last 15 Premier League games against Arsenal (D4 L10), a 2-1 home win in December 2023.
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Arsenal have never lost in 32 home league games against Fulham (W25 D7), the most any side has faced another without defeat in English Football League history.
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Fulham have never won a Premier League away game against the league leaders in 13 attempts (D3 L10), with this their first visit since a 2-2 draw at Liverpool in December 2024.
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Fulham have failed to score in four of their last six league games, though have won both times they’ve found the net in this run (3-1 v Burnley, 1-0 v Aston Villa).
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Fulham are one of two sides – along with Manchester City – yet to concede a goal in the opening 15 minutes of Premier League matches this season. However, the Cottagers have conceded more goals than anyone else in the first 15 minutes after half-time (12), while Arsenal are the most prolific side in this timeframe (14 goals scored).
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Harry Wilson leads all Fulham players for goals (10) and assists (6) in the Premier League this season, while he’s one of just 13 players across the whole division to have played both 100+ passes into the opp box (137) and had 100+ touches in the opposition box (100).
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Arsenal have conceded just 11 goals in their 17 Premier League home games this season, and have only failed to find the net themselves at the Emirates once. They’ve conceded more than once just twice at home this term, with those coming in both of their defeats (2-3 v Man Utd, 1-2 v Bournemouth).
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Arsenal have scored 17 goals from corners in the Premier League this season, including their winner against Newcastle United last time out. It’s the outright most corner goals any side has netted in a single campaign in the competition.
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All seven of Eberechi Eze’s Premier League goals for Arsenal have come in London. Only Olivier Giroud (first 14) and Tony Adams (first 12) have had more consecutive goals in the capital from the start of their Premier League career for the Gunners.
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Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka is the only player to have had 20+ shots (28) and created 20+ chances (22) following a ball carry in the Premier League this season.
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Source Ben Knapton at SportsMole/BBCSports