Sunday Fulham Stuff (07/10/18)...

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Results

Friday
Brighton	1 - 0	West Ham
Saturday
Burnley	1 - 1	Huddersfield
Palace	0 - 1	Wolves
Leicester	1 - 2	Everton
Spurs	1 - 0	Cardiff
Watford	0 - 4	Bournemouth
Man Utd	3 - 2	Newcastle

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Fulham vs Arsenal: Jean Michael Seri can set the tempo with his 'Barcelona DNA'



It was perhaps the most impressive transfer coup made by a newly promoted side in Premier League history.

And against Arsenal on Sunday, Jean Michael Seri can prove why Fulham were so astute to secure his signature.

Twelve months prior to his move to Fulham, Seri seemed destined for Barcelona - the club where Xavi had named him as his successor due to his "Barca DNA" - only for Nice's attempt to renegotiate terms with the Catalan club leading to the collapse of the Ivorian's dream transfer.

From then on, Premier League giants circled. Seri was among the midfielders Arsenal gave most serious consideration to before eventually opting to move for Lucas Torreira and, considering the differing styles of the combative Uruguayan and Fulham's new signing, a revival of interest that dates back to 2017 cannot be ruled out.

Unai Emery was a firm fan of him when at Paris Saint-Germain and attempted to sign him in January, while Raul Sanllehi had played a crucial role in the negotiations with Barcelona.

Fulham stole in while others were looking elsewhere, beating Borussia Dortmund to secure the 27-year-old on a salary even a European giant could not match.

Even when he signed there was speculation over how long he would stay at Craven Cottage, but for the time being his future could not be further from Seri's mind. Those close to him say he has put the past behind him - the collapse of his move to Barcelona seemed to inhibit him during his final season at Nice - and has settled quickly in Slavisa Jokanovic's side.

Little wonder, for the Serb has already built his side around Seri, whose energy off the ball and composure on it is a perfect fit for the style Fulham have shown little sign of compromising over since their promotion to the Championship. Only Aleksandar Mitrovic has played more minutes in Jokanovic's ever-changing side than Seri.

"He's working really hard off the ball too, his technique is high-level, his control and first touch are perfect," Jokanovic told Standard Sport in August.

"He is always moving and tries to observe what is going to happen. He's a guy who needs a bit of time to discover what he has around himself and how he can collaborate with his team-mates better."



Seri's impact has been swift and decisive. His rocket into the top right corner in the win against Burnley earned him the first goal of the month prize of the season, while he ranks in the Premier League's top 15 for key passes - his tally of two per game is higher than Mesut Ozil or Aaron Ramsey - and top 25 for expected assists, a metric which analyses the likelihood a pass played will lead to a goal.

If a critique were to be raised, it might be that Seri did not exactly prove his summer suitors wrong when he came up against them on the pitch.

Against Manchester City, a side who tracked him extensively as they looked for long-term replacements for Fernandinho, his clumsy error handed the champions the opener and he lasted less than an hour before Slavisa Jokanovic summoned him to the substitutes' bench.

That appears to have been something of an aberration, but Seri will have to prove that was indeed the case when Arsenal arrive at Craven Cottage off the back of a 5,000-mile round trip to Baku in the Europa League.

Seri will be poised to ensure that any tired minds and legs are thoroughly exploited by a Fulham side who will relish the chance to set the terms of engagement as Craven Cottage welcomes top-six opposition for the first time since the west Londoners' approach.

If Seri can make Fulham tick, he may well remind Arsenal why they coveted him in the first place.



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-vs-arsenal-jean-michael-seri-can-set-the-tempo-with-his-barcelona-dna-a3954791.html

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Fulham v Arsenal
SUN 07 Oct 2018   Premier League
Venue: Craven Cottage

Fit-again central defender Alfie Mawson (left) is pushing for a Fulham recall

TEAM NEWS

Fulham are without full-backs Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Joe Bryan, who suffered respective shoulder and hamstring injuries against Everton last week.

However, Alfie Mawson is in contention to return from a back problem.

Arsenal hope Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will have recovered from illness, while Aaron Ramsey could play depending on the timing of his child's birth.

Bernd Leno will make his first Premier League start, with Petr Cech ruled out by a hamstring injury.

MOTD COMMENTATOR'S NOTES

@Wilsonfooty: The growly Slavisa Jokanovic seems determined to go with his gut instinct - namely that Fulham's best bet for survival is to attack.

That philosophy came unstuck at Manchester City, whose superior players were allowed all the space they needed to prosper. It will be interesting to see whether Jokanovic is willing to allow a little pragmatism on home turf against in-form Arsenal.

Unai Emery's team seem to be enjoying life after a very awkward start; their win over Qarabag in Baku on Thursday took their sequence of victories to eight.

Even when they were losing to Chelsea and Manchester City, Emery kept chirping cheerfully and politely that better times were just around the corner. It seems he was right.

VIEW FROM THE DUGOUT

Fulham head coach Slavisa Jokanovic: "We cannot be satisfied with this spell during this first seven games, it's huge room ahead of us to improve and we must try and work hard to fix all our problems.

"One of these is conceding so many goals and we are working in this direction to try find a solution.

"This is not our best level...we need to be more ambitious and need to show more aggression and more speed."

Arsenal head coach Unai Emery: "Fulham is a very big challenge for us, first because it's away and second because each match in the Premier League is very, very difficult.

"Fulham bought very good players like Seri, like Anguissa, and they have Mitrovic and Schurrle too.

"We need to push against them on Sunday and show our best performance."

LAWRO'S PREDICTION

I think Fulham might get something out of this game. Arsenal are still on a very good run, but they played in Azerbaijan on Thursday while Fulham have had the week off.

Prediction: 1-1

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

    Fulham have won just three of their last 30 top-flight games against the Gunners (D6, L21). Their only victory in the past 11 meetings came at home in January 2012.
    Arsenal have won their last two Premier League matches at Craven Cottage, both in 2013.
    There have been four red cards - two for each side - in the last four Premier League meetings at Craven Cottage.

Fulham

    A Fulham defeat on Sunday would ensure they equal the club's worst start after eight top-flight matches of a season: W1, D2, L5, set most recently in 2005.
    The Cottagers and Brighton are the only sides yet to keep a Premier League clean sheet this season prior to the latest round of matches.
    Slavisa Jokanovic's side go into the weekend with the division's joint worst defensive record, conceding 16 goals along with Cardiff and Huddersfield.
    They haven't kept a home clean sheet in 14 Premier League derbies since beating QPR 6-0 in October 2011.
    Fulham are one short of 300 top-flight victories.
    Aleksandar Mitrovic has scored nine goals in his last 10 league appearances for Fulham at Craven Cottage (excluding play-offs).

Arsenal

    The Gunners are vying to win six successive Premier League matches within a single season for the first time since August to October 2016.
    They could earn three Premier League away victories in a row for the first time in two years.
    Arsenal are also vying for a third consecutive clean sheet in the division, which they last achieved in November.
    Unai Emery's side have scored 10 second-half goals in the league this season, a joint-high with Manchester City prior to the latest round of fixtures.
    Their 51.3% win rate in London derbies is the best in the Premier League. However, Arsenal's only derby away win in the past eight attempts came at Crystal Palace last December.
    Arsenal concede on average 0.5 league goals per 90 minutes when Lucas Torreira is on the pitch, compared to 2.2 per 90 when he isn't.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45696345

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Arsenal kit for Fulham revealed

Arsenal will wear their away strip on Sunday afternoon when they face Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Arsenal surprised most of their fans on Thursday night when they played a Europa League away game in their home shirt. Although they had to change their white shorts to red because of a clash with the Qarabag keeper's light grey shorts, it was a lovely move away from the modern tradition of wearing an away or third kit even when there is absolutely no need.

Bernd Leno, who is expected to start in place of the injured Petr Cech, will be wearing a purply-pink strip that blends well with what the rest of the team will be wearing.

Although Arsenal have won only one of their last eight games away at the home of a London rival, they are looking for their third victory in a row at Craven Cottage.

Arsenal are also the team with the best win-rate in London derbies (51.3%) while Fulham have the worst (20.8%).

Fulham have yet to keep a cleansheet in the league and have not done so in a league derby in seven years.

Referee: Paul Tierney
Assistants: Adrian Holmes, Mick McDonough
Fourth official: Mike Dean



http://dailycannon.com/2018/10/arsenal-kit-for-fulham-revealed/

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Arsenal Vs Fulham: Predicted starting XI – Continuity is king

Arsenal travel to Caven Cottage to face a dangerous Fulham side looking for their sixth successive league win. Here is the Gunners' predicted starting XI.

Arsenal continue their hopeful rise up the Premier League on Sunday afternoon when they travel across London to Craven Cottage to face a newly promoted Fulham that are far more threatening than their previous fate would suggest. Unai Emery is looking for his sixth successive Premier League win, nine in all competitions, and has a largely fit squad to choose from.

Here is the Gunners' predicted starting XI.

Goalkeeper

Petr Cech is injured. Bernd Leno has his opportunity to start. Can he take it?

Defence

Sokratis returned to the line-up against FK Qarabag on Thursday night after picking up a knock to his knee against Everton and looked rather comfortable, even though he had to play one half in a back three and another in a back four. I expect him to now be a mainstay at centre-half, starting on Sunday.

His return leaves Rob Holding on the outside looking in. He has been impressive in the limited opportunities that Emery has afforded him in Sokratis' absence, but I feel that Emery likes the pairing of Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis, despite the former's naivety and error-prone manner.

At full back, the landscape is rather clear. Hector Bellerin will start at right back and Nacho Monreal at left back. Sead Kolasinac did make his first appearance of the season in midweek and he could push Monreal for a starting role in the future. But, for now, Monreal's greater defensive security and positional awareness sees him into the line-up.

Midfield

This is perhaps where the situation is becoming increasingly settled. It took Emery some time to calibrate his thought in the front six positions, but now two months into the seasons, it seems as though there is an established set of starters that he trusts.

That set consists of a midfield three of Granit Xhaka, Lucas Torreira and Aaron Ramsey. The former two will hold their more defensive positions, screening the defence and providing balance to the midfield, while Ramsey will be positioned in the traditional number 10 role, afforded the freedom to drift throughout the pitch as he so chooses.

It is Ramsey who is the most under pressure to maintain his position in the team and prove his worth. He is seemingly set to leave the club this season, either in January or when his contract expires at the end of the year, and his performances have been highly questionable thus far, particularly in a position that clearly does not best suit him.

For now, I believe that Emery will continue to give the Welshman opportunities to prove his value to the team. But with Alex Iwobi playing well in the wings and Mesut Ozil chomping at the bit to play centrally, time is running out.

Attack

Similar to the central midfield trio, as long as Ramsey continues in the number 10 role, then the front three is an extremely settled decision: Mesut Ozil on the right, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on the left, assuming he overcomes a midweek illness, which he is expected to do, and Alexandre Lacazette through the middle.

There have rightly been some concerns regarding the balance of this particular configuration of this trio: both Ozil and Aubameyang are playing out of position and it does upset the natural flow of the play at times.

But as long as Ramsey starts in midfield, then this is how Emery will set his team up, knowing that he must get his best players into the XI. And Lacazette, Ozil and Aubameyang are undoubtedly his best players.




https://paininthearsenal.com/2018/10/06/arsenal-vs-fulham-predicted-starting-xi-continuity-king/

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Emery Insists Arsenal Can Strive Despite Hectic Schedule

Unai Emery insists Arsenal won't be allowed to use their hectic schedule as an excuse for a poor performance when they face Fulham on Sunday.

Emery's side head to Craven Cottage bidding to extend their winning streak to nine matches in all competitions.

But Arsenal will be battling fatigue after touching down in London in the early hours of Friday morning, following a 4,000km flight from Azerbaijan, where they beat Qarabag 3-0 in the Europa League on Thursday.

It is hardly ideal preparation for an important Premier League clash, but Emery tried to guard against burn-out by resting several players against Qarabag.

And regardless of the potential for dwindling energy levels after the gruelling European trip, the Spaniard believes his stars should be able to cope.

    "For us it's not a problem to play on Thursday and then on Sunday because we want to play a lot of matches and a lot of competitions," Emery said.

    "We also want to give the players the chances and opportunities to play, to give them confidence, responsibility and rhythm like today for all our players.

    "The players who sometimes don't play were used against Qarabag. But then also, maybe players who featured against Qarabag can play on Sunday too.

    "We can do that with some players. For us it's very important on Sunday to produce the best performance."

The Gunners should be able to use the momentum from their impressive winning run to keep them firing on all cylinders in the London derby.

Arsenal, up to fifth place after recovering from their slow start to the season, are vying to win six successive Premier League matches within a single campaign for the first time since August to October 2016.

'Big challenge'

They could earn three consecutive away league victories for the first time in two years, but Emery won't be taking Fulham for granted.

    "Fulham is a very big challenge for us, first because it's away and second because each match in the Premier League is very, very difficult," Emery said.

    "Fulham bought very good players like Seri, like Anguissa, and they have Mitrovic and Schurrle too. It's a very good team and I think their coach is a very good coach with experience in England.

    "We need to push against them on Sunday and also show our best performance. Our idea is to be focused on Sunday with all of our players."

Arsenal hope Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will have recovered from illness, while Aaron Ramsey could play depending on the timing of his child's birth.

Bernd Leno will make his first Premier League start, with Petr Cech ruled out by a hamstring injury.

A Fulham defeat on Sunday would equal the club's worst start after eight top-flight matches.

They have won only one of their seven games and Slavisa Jokanovic's side hold the division's joint-worst defensive record, conceding 16 goals along with Cardiff and Huddersfield.

    "There's huge room for improvement. We are working to find our best formation, Jokanovic said.

    "We're not at our best level, and we need to continue to work hard to reach that level. We need to be more ambitious, show more aggression, spirit, desire and intensity.

    "After two hard games, Arsenal have found stability. They're a team in form, a big club and a good team.

    "We need to be motivated, and we will be ready for the battle."



http://www.punditarena.com/football/oisinmcqueirns2758/emery-arsenal-can-strive-despite-schedule/

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Chamberlain: Great Place To Play

Siobhan Chamberlain is one of a tiny minority in terms of life goals, playing football for the club she supports.

The England goalkeeper – who is in the Lionesses squad for next week's meeting with Australia at Craven Cottage – began her career with the Whites, fulfilling a dream in the process.

"Fulham was my first-ever club," she said. "I played for the open-age senior team at the age of 14 which was a bit daunting, but playing for the club you support is a brilliant opportunity.

"My first game as a fan was against Cardiff in [what is now] League Two, only just escaping from relegation from the Football League, so it wasn't the most glamorous team to support.

"My strongest memories are of the away fans rioting. I cried and said I never wanted to go to a football match again, but I was back the next week.

"It's a great stadium in a wonderful area of London. It's got so much heritage and history and it'll be fantastic to play for England there."

Now at Manchester United, the 50-cap England international doesn't get to as many Fulham matches as she'd like, but she keeps a keen eye on our progress.

And from what she's seen so far this season, Chamberlain is backing her childhood club to enjoy a decent campaign – and is targeting a positive result this Sunday.

"There's absolutely no pressure on Fulham at the weekend," she said. "There's a lot of pressure on Arsenal to put in a performance and win.

"Hopefully Fulham can go out, enjoy playing football in front of a home crowd, because Craven Cottage is a great place to play.

"It's such a tough division. There are a lot of teams who can go up and go straight back down, but Fulham like to play entertaining football and will score goals.

"Defensively, we need to make sure we're not conceding too many but with the way we've been playing, we'll get enough results."

England Women face Australia in an international match at Craven Cottage on Tuesday 9th October (kick-off 7pm). Tickets £10 Adults/£1 Concessions at www.thefa.com/tickets



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/october/06/siobhan-chamberlain-great-place-to-play

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Referee announced for Fulham vs Arsenal - and it's very good news for Unai Emery & the Gunners

Arsenal have won their last eight games in all competitions

Arsenal will be looking to extend their fantastic run of form this weekend when they travel to Fulham in the Premier League.

Currently on a run of eight successive wins after Thursday's victory at Qarabag in the Europa League, Unai Emery's side will be very confident of extending their excellent record at Craven Cottage.

Sitting in fifth at present, three points in west London could see the Gunners move into the top four come Sunday evening providing results go their way.

In fact, they could even go one point behind Man City or Liverpool given that both clubs play each other at Anfield later on that day.

Arsenal do have a excellent record against Fulham in the Premier League, losing just three of their 26 fixtures since September 2001.

The fact that Paul Tierney is in charge of the game will also be very good news for the Gunners.

The Lancashire official has only refereed Arsenal once and that resulted in a 4-0 victory over Notthingham Forest in the Carabao Cup back in September 2016.


Paul Tierney gestures during the match between Manchester United and West Bromwich Albion (Image: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

With Arsenal winning their only game with Tierney as the man in the middle, Fulham, on the other hand, have a mixed record with him in charge.

The Cottagers have only won three of their eight games when Tierney has officiated, with one draw and four defeats since February 2012.

Adrian Holmes and Mick McDonough will assist Tierney in the capital, while Mike Dean will be the fourth official in SW6.



https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/fixtures-results/fulham-arsenal-referee-team-news-15227040

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Jean Michaël Seri: 'You have to take risks or you are just a water carrier'
Dominic Fifield
The Ivorian says he will stay bold at Fulham after a turbulent journey that started barefoot and nearly took him to Barcelona


Jean Michaël Seri: "As a player, if you're not willing to try things, you'll never fulfil your true potential." Photograph: Antonio Olmos/Observer

Jean Michaël Seri has grown used to the comparisons and, when they have come, they have nearly always been complimentary. Back in his youth when he would venture across the capital to the Centre Cyrille Domoraud in Bingerville, a suburb on the eastern fringes of Abidjan, the coaches nicknamed him "Galla" after Marcelo Gallardo, the diminutive Argentinian playmaker who had swapped River Plate for Monaco and was imposing himself on Ligue 1.

Later, once Seri was making his own impression in France with Nice, observers would point to flashes of Marco Verratti in his style. Most flattering of all were the similarities Xavi spied of his own game in the Ivorian, qualities that had the Barcelona midfielder and World Cup winner "entranced, madre mia!".

Those reminders bring a smile to Seri's face even now, the compliments a reward for the boldness of his approach. "As a player, if you're not willing to try things on the ball, you'll never fulfil your true potential," he says. "You have to give things a go and take calculated risks: not things that put your team in danger but passes forward to surprise your opponents.

"Otherwise you are just a water carrier. It's not always about a simple pass. Sometimes it's about being daring. Since I've been young, I've always had that desire, to look forward and test myself. It is an attitude."

That positivity has been reflected in a journey that has taken him from playing barefoot on the streets of his homeland to confronting Arsenal with Fulham on Sunday, via eye-catching spells in Portugal and on the Côte d'Azur. These days they simply call the 27-year-old "Mica" down at Craven Cottage, where the £25m signing is forging his own reputation in the Premier League.

Seri's passage to this point, with the possible exception of his last year at Nice, has been all about progression. Back in Yopougon, the most populous suburb of Abidjan, he started playing football young. "They'd encourage us to play barefoot on the baked clay to learn how to control the ball, to feel it and have good technique," he says of life in Ivory Coast's capital. "It's the best way. You'd work up to playing in boots but I definitely feel the benefits now. As a smaller player I had to find ways to play with the bigger boys. It wasn't about strength. It was about being more intelligent. I'd have to read the game quicker, react quicker, move the ball quicker to win duels."


Jean Michaël Seri is thriving at Fulham six years after he was named the Ivory Coast league's best player having moved between the country's two biggest teams. Photograph: Yui Mok/PA

Africa Sports d'Abidjan gave him a senior debut at 16 before Seri defected to their city rivals Asec Mimosas to play in the African Champions League. "They're the two biggest clubs in Ivory Coast so that really wasn't the done thing. It meant there was pressure on me at l'Asec, but it was a step up."

He thrived at the most decorated club in Ivory Coast, where the Touré brothers and Salomon Kalou had leapt to prominence, and was named the league's best player in 2012. From the moment he earned selection to the national senior squad for the first time that year European clubs were alerted to his burgeoning talent.

A week-long trial at Porto earned him a short-term contract, training alongside players such as James Rodríguez and João Moutinho with the seniors but turning out only for the B side. Neighbouring Paços de Ferreira, who had just finished third in the league, offered him greater first-team involvement and Seri, now surveying the game as a deeper-lying midfielder, excelled under the stewardship of Paulo Fonseca.

"Porto had been an education but Fonseca taught me to feel football, to live and breathe it. You'd know what you had to do out on the pitch before the ball arrived. I was at the heart of the team, touching the ball so many times. Fonseca is showing his quality now with Shakhtar Donetsk. I have much to thank him for."

Nice ended up paying a bargain £500,000 to take him to France where Claude Puel would also build his team around Seri's dynamism, drive and delivery. It was in Ligue 1, where Les Aiglons punched above their weight to finish fourth and third in the Ivorian's first two years at the club, where the comparisons with Xavi were drawn. Seri, the team's fulcrum, idolised the Spaniard. While Borussia Dortmund and Marseille made approaches, he merely pined for Barcelona.

That opportunity appeared to present itself in the summer of 2017, with the Catalans apparently prepared to trigger a £35.4m clause in his contract and personal terms settled. A delegation from the Spanish club attended Nice's 2-0 home defeat by Napoli in the Champions League qualifiers. He was assured the transfer was on course. Yet the next day the deal was off with the clubs suddenly unable to agree a fee. Paulinho, plucked from Chinese football, filled the void in Barça's midfield instead.

The disappointment was crippling. Seri was excused a game at Amiens as he came to terms with the deflation. "It affected me," he says. "It all came down to money. But what can you do? Life goes on. Maybe it was God's will. I am Christian, I have my faith and, just as God gave me the opportunity to go to Portugal, maybe it was my destiny to come here, to England, rather than Spain.

"I came back into the side for a league game against Monaco and wanted to put in a big performance, to show I was strong and had turned the page. We won 4-0 and, with the help of my teammates, I showed it would not knock me off course. That last season at Nice was disappointing [the team finished eighth], so the time felt right to leave this summer. Fulham, like Nice, sold themselves to me: because of the way they play football and their coach's philosophy, their ambition and where I'd fit in. It's a club who give me everything, so I must repay them every time I put on that shirt."

First impressions have been favourable. Bigger teams, from Chelsea to Sunday's opponents, Arsenal, had been credited with interest but Fulham feel the right fit. He has settled in the city with his family, is one of the team's two ever-presents in the top-flight campaign and has excelled, battering a fine goal from distance with only his second shot in English football to help spark the team's first win back in the elite.

"People talk about the Premier League and its intensity, its physicality," Seri says. "If you're not ready, you'll fail. It's a championship which demands effort and sacrifices in your everyday life, so you cannot let standards slip. Each training session is like a match. Survival is our objective, to stay in the Premier League where players grow and improve. A game against Arsenal is an opportunity, just like a match against Brighton, Burnley or Watford." This is a player who shares his club's bold outlook.



https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/oct/06/jean-michael-seri-risks-water-carrier-fulham-barcelona

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Arsenal at Fulham Preview: Seeking 9 Straight at the Cottage
Fulham and Arsenal face each other in the Premier League for the first time in five seasons


Arsenal and Fulham at Emirates Stadium on January 18, 2014 Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images

Sunday marks the first time in 1,722 days that Arsenal have faced Fulham in the Premier League.

Arsenal will be hoping to pick up where they left off against Fulham during that last meeting, on January 18th, 2014. Arsenal won 2-0 at home that day thanks to a Santi Cazorla masterclass, where the Spaniard scored twice within five minutes to snatch all three points against a Fulham side which featured names like Dimitar Berbatov and Clint Dempsey. The Arsenal players that day:

Starting XI: Szczesny; Koscielny, Mertesacker, Monreal, Sagna; Flamini, Wilshere, Cazorla, Ozil, Gnabry; Giroud

Substitutes: Podolski, Oxlade-Chamberlain

Bench: Rosicky, Park, Fabianski, Gibbs, Jenkinson (the immortal)

The best highlights I could find of this match are here.

Fulham
Fulham got relegated at the end of that 2013/14 season and would begin to re-build in the Championship. Fulham struggled over their next 3 seasons, finishing in 17th, 20th, and 6th before they finally returned in dramatic fashion following last season.

Finishing 3rd in the Championship table meant Fulham needed to go through the playoff to get back to the Premier League. Their playoff began with a 2-1 aggregate win against Derby County over 2 legs, and ended with a 1-0 win at Wembley against Aston Villa. Their success stemmed from the young starlet Ryan Sessegnon, who was absolutely pivotal in both rounds of the playoff. Sessegnon played a hand in all 3 goals (1 goal, 2 assists) Fulham scored in their playoff run. Despite his success in the midfield last year for Fulham (16 goals & 8 assists), Sessegnon has been moved [surprisingly] to a left-back role since the beginning of the Premier League campaign. We will likely see him in this role on Sunday.

Fulham owner Shahid Khan's deep pockets have helped Fulham's transition into the top flight as well. Over 4 seasons in the Championship, he had spent a total of £66.13 million in transfer fees. Upon their confirmed return to the Premier League, Khan dug deep into his pockets this summer, shelling out a whopping £98.1 million on players who could make an instant impact.

Nice maestro Jean Michael Seri, world cup winner Andre Schurrle, and Serbian number 9 Aleksandar Mitrovic were just three names on a long list of arrivals at Craven Cottage this summer. As of Sunday, those three have the most minutes this season for the Cottagers. Mitrovic hasn't missed a second, and is a certain starter on Sunday.

Mitrovic is of particular worry for an Arsenal side which struggles against physical and versatile strikers. The Serbian front man has five goals in seven appearances, and can seemingly create havoc for defenses out of nowhere with his style of play. Left foot, right foot, header - it doesn't matter for Mitrovic. He'll put it in the back of the net any way he can.

I cannot fathom how he couldn't get into a game when he was at Newcastle under Benitez.

Don't be fooled by Fulham's current standing at 17th. Three of their first seven games were against the current top six in the table, and after Sunday, their next run of games against Cardiff, Bournemouth, and Huddersfield will be a chance for them to jump to the middle of the pack. After 138 matches in charge, manager Slaviša Jokanović has an impressive record (62-36-39) and knows how to line his team up against a variety of opposition. The expected return of midfielder Tom Cairney and defender Alfie Mawson will leave the Serbian coach with more options than he had in recent fixtures.

Expect Fulham to play deep and attack down their favorite right side on Sunday against Arsenal. Also be sure to keep an eye out for a Calum Chambers appearance, thanks to his loan at Fulham for the season.

Arsenal
For Arsenal, the idea needs to be to finish this run of games strong.

Since the loss at Stamford Bridge on Match Day 2, the Gunners have been in inspired form. Arsenal currently have a streak of eight straight wins going in all competitions (five straight in the Premier League) that dates back to before the last international break. Now sitting fifth in the table, four points from the top, the Gunners have a chance to get the win streak to nine.

The man of the moment in this Arsenal side is Alexandre Lacazette, who has put in three goals and provided three assists in his last six games (all comps). After starting the season with three substitute appearances and little opportunity, Unai Emery gave the Frenchman the nod against Cardiff. Lacazette has not let his chance slip away since. A strong performance Sunday would be a good way for him to sign off before the international break, after he was snubbed from the French squad [again].

However, one man's opportunity can be another man's downfall. Since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been included in the XI with Lacazette, his production has fallen. As Iwobi and Mkhitaryan keep showing promise in their development under Emery, Aubameyang will need to have a strong performance to keep him and Lacazette in the same side moving forward. Our own Scott Willis wrote a detailed article about the declining production of Aubameyang which you can find here, but this excerpt is the part that stands out to me ahead of Sunday.

    What is more concerning, especially this season as [Aubameyang] has moved from striker out to the wing, is that it is not just the number of shots that have declined but also the quality of those shots.

Another poor performance from Aubameyang could mean Emery thinks about changing up the XI during the upcoming two week break.

I am a big advocate of Alex Iwobi getting the start this weekend, but with Mkhitaryan not traveling to the Europa game at Qarabag, I do not see it happening. Iwobi has been quality lately, and I will be the first to admit I talked poorly of him before the season started. But since Emery has taken charge, the Nigerian has been a strong presence for a side lacking in supporting build-up. He is dribbling, passing, and making runs we haven't seen from him before.

While Iwobi has been good, it is known that he prefers the left side, which is currently Aubameyang's spot. Since Iwobi started mid-week, I see Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan being the outside men on Sunday's starting XI.

Since I predicted he isn't going to start, can we at least celebrate Iwobi absolutely ending a man during Thursday's game?

We are guaranteed to see at least one new name on the starting sheet this weekend after Petr Cech's hamstring injury last week. The Czech international's injury will see Bernd Leno get his first Premier League start this weekend (unless Martinez gets the unlikely nod by Emery).

If there is any good from this injury, it is the possibility that we won't have to hear about Cech's inability to play out from the back for a few more weeks while he recovers.

The other changes I would predict from last week's XI against Watford is the return of Sokratis for Holding's spot and Mkhitaryan taking over for Ramsey.

Liverpool and Manchester City's game after Arsenal's Sunday will mean the Gunners have a chance to gain ground on two of the four teams ahead of them in the table, and give the supporters confidence in a top four finish.

Projected XI:

Arsenal: Leno; Bellerin, Mustafi, Sokratis, Monreal; Xhaka, Torreira; Aubameyang, Ozil, Mkhitaryan; Lacazette.

Fulham: Bettinelli; Christie, Ream, Mawson*, Sessegnon; Cairney*, Seri, McDonald; Vietto, Mitrovic; Schurrle

*Supposed to be fit to start, but will be a match day decision

The Details

WHAT: Arsenal at Fulham

WHERE: Craven Cottage, London

WHEN: Sunday, October 7th, 4 AM PT | 7 AM ET | 12 PM BT

US TV: NBCSN

Be sure to check livesoccer.tv for all your international streaming needs. Please do not discuss links to illegal streams here.



https://theshortfuse.sbnation.com/2018/10/6/17941038/premier-league-arsenal-fulham-live-stream-2018-lineups-match-thread-how-to-watch-online

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Forget the 8 wins – Arsenal just need to beat Fulham whoever plays

No matter how badly Arsenal have been performing, the fact is that we now have 8 wins in a row under our belt, but all that is irrelevant this weekend when we just have to focus all our energy on beating Fulham and getting another three points under our belts. As Unai Emery said: "Usually I don't look behind, every day I'm looking at the next matches – what's in front,"

"For me, whether we win or lose, every match is giving me a lot of information about how to improve. Every coach wants to win, but it's not easy to do that.

"For me the challenge is every day and every match – to look back to the last match is not good for us and not for me.

"My only focus is on Sunday against Fulham, to get three points to continue going up in the table."

By now the coach should be having a much better idea of how to maximize his players to get them to fight for every point in every game. It looks like he has found out how to get a few clean sheets as well, which may have been helped by the introducing of Bernd Leno and Rob Holding into the starting line-ups. Now that we are having to rotate more hopefully he will make further changes that can improve the side as well.

I really like the idea that Emery doesn't think that his top players need to be rested and believes that any professional should be able to play twice every week easily if called upon and should not want to be dropped. "Every team wants to do the best performance in the Premier League because it's the first competition for us and also in the cups and Europe.

"The top players want to play a lot of matches. I have experience too because I'm playing in Europe for the 12th consecutive season, six in the Champions League and six in the Europa League so my habit is also this.

"We are going to balance each matches physically with the players but these players are prepared to play Thursday and Sunday and then we have players to make changes for some matches. But if I decide to play someone for three matches in a week, they are available to do that."

I love that attitude, and hopefully it will rub off onto the players. It certainly seems to be working so far!

Admin



https://www.justarsenal.com/forget-the-8-wins-arsenal-just-need-to-beat-fulham-whoever-plays/152656

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Team News: Arsenal Confirm Double Fitness Boost But 4 Ruled Out Of Fulham Trip

Arsenal will be hoping to extend their winning run to nine games in all competitions when they take on Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday.

The club have issued a team news and injury update ahead of the game with the latest on the fitness of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Petr Cech, Dinos Mavropanos and Laurent Koscielny.

Let's start with the good news and Aubameyang is back in contention to face Fulham after the Gabon international striker missed the Europa League victory over Qarabag on Thursday night due to sickness, so his return will be a big boost.

There is also positive news on Maitland-Niles as the versatile midfielder is set to resume full training during the second week of the international break as he looks to make his return from a fractured leg which he suffered during the season opener against Man City.

However, Maitland-Niles remains out this weekend and he'll join Cech on the sidelines as the goalkeeper has been ruled out for up to four weeks with a hamstring injury that he picked up against Watford last weekend.

Mavropanos is also still on the sidelines with a groin injury that will keep him out until the end of October while Koscielny isn't due to resume training until some time next month as he continues to work his way back from Achilles surgery.

The update on Arsenal.com read:

    Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
    Now available for selection after missing the trip to Baku with illness.

    Ainsley Maitland-Niles
    Small fracture to left fibula. Expected to return to full training second week of forthcoming international period.

    Petr Cech
    Left hamstring injury. Expected to return to full training in 3-4 weeks.

    Dinos Mavropanos
    Groin injury. Expected to return to full training by the end of October.

    Laurent Koscielny
    Right Achilles tendon repair. Now working outside. Aiming to return to full training in November.

Unai Emery is expected to freshen things up on Sunday with Hector Bellerin, Shkodran Mustafi, Granit Xhaka, Aaron Ramsey and Aubameyang among those pushing for recalls to the starting eleven.

Arsenal have won each of their last eight matches in all competitions so we can extend that winning run to nine games with another victory at Craven Cottage tomorrow which would keep the pressure on the top four.



https://football-talk.co.uk/142993/team-news-arsenal-confirm-double-fitness-boost-but-4-ruled-out-of-fulham-trip/

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Sessegnon and Schurrle to start: Predicted 4-3-3 Fulham XI to face Arsenal

Predicted Fulham line-up to face Arsenal in the Premier League

Fulham made the headlines in the summer transfer window with some mega-money signings but so far, they have flattered to deceive. Although the new recruits have shown flashes of their brilliance at times, Fulham have lacked consistency in the Premier League.

Slavisa Jokanovic's men have managed only a solitary win from their first seven games. Consequently, the Cottagers find themselves languishing at the bottom of the table and they need to improve on their performances if they are to have any chance of surviving relegation this season.

Fulham, once again, promised a lot in the 3-0 loss to Everton last weekend but their lack of concentration at crucial moments lead to their undoing as a unit.

However, it will be interesting to see how the manager reassembles his team when they play host to Arsenal on Sunday. The Gunners come to Craven Cottage with an eight-match winning streak and the Cottagers must be at the top of their game to get something out of this tie.

Team News

Neeskens Kebano continues to be on the sidelines to nurse his ankle injury while left-back Joe Bryan and right-back Timothy Fosu-Mensah both suffered injuries in the previous outing and are ruled out for the game on Sunday.

Jokanovic will be forced to make a couple of changes to cover for the absentees.

Formation: 4-3-3
Manager: Slavisa Jokanovic
Marcus Bettinelli (GK)

The academy graduate has grown in confidence with regular starts this season and the manager should persist with him.
Cyrus Christie (RB)

The Irishman came off the bench to replace the injured Fosu-Mensah in the last game and did well which should earn him a starting place on Sunday.
Denis Odoi (CB)

The Belgian has let the team down at times with lapses in concentration but he is one of the best that Fulham have at the moment.
Tim Ream (CB)

He looked comfortable in possession and presented himself as a reliable presence at the back against Everton. Jokanovic should hand him another start.
Ryan Sessegnon (LB)

The youngster put up a good performance going forward and looked solid in the defence in the previous outing. Jokanovic should shift him back to the left-back position to cover for the absence of Joe Bryan.
Jean Michael Seri (LCM)

The Ivorian teased the fans with glimpses of his brilliance in the last game and he must pay the dividends on Sunday.
Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa (CDM)

He made a few strong challenges in the midfield and covered spaces quickly. He should be handed another start against Arsenal.
Tom Cairney (RCM)

He came off the bench in the last game and looked quite comfortable. He could play a key role on Sunday.
Luciano Vietto (RW)

The Argentine made a good start to the season but has gone through a couple of quiet games. However, the manager should persist with him since he can be a handful with his goals and assists.
Andre Schurrle (LW)

The German didn't flourish in a No. 10 role in the previous game and the manager should shift him back to the flanks.
Aleksandar Mitrovic (ST)

He has been the key to Fulham's successes and will be expected to power the team to a positive result against Arsenal.



http://www.mediareferee.com/2018/10/07/sessegnon-and-schurrle-to-start-predicted-4-3-3-fulham-xi-to-face-arsenal/

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Slavisa Jokanovic hails 'brave' Unai Emery's impact at Arsenal

Fulham's Slavisa Jokanovic has praised Unai Emery's "brave" approach to replacing Arsene Wenger at Arsenal.

Emery's team visit Jokanovic's at Craven Cottage on Sunday when they will be looking for a ninth successive win, with which they could potentially climb above rivals Tottenham in the Premier League.

He has so far impressed amid the intense scrutiny that comes with being chosen to succeed Wenger after his 22-year reign, also overseeing the departure of the popular Jack Wilshere and the club's withdrawal from talks with Aaron Ramsey regarding a new contract.

Most recently Emery has attempted to play with two strikers in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette, and Jokanovic said: "They reset the club in some ways after Wenger, choosing a different (philosophy).

"The team right now is brave; really offensive at a good level. Arsenal's an important club so he doesn't have much space to make mistakes, but there's enough quality for him.

"It's not an easy place to arrive when someone's been coaching Arsenal for 22 years. They found a really good, quality coach.

"I've followed him; for the last 10 years he's been at a really top level with Sevilla, Valencia, Paris Saint-Germain and in Russia. He's good tactically; he's really good at planning offensive and defensive set-pieces. He's a great worker."

Injuries suffered by Joe Bryan and Timothy Fosu-Mensah mean Jokanovic is again confronted with the prospect of making multiple changes to Fulham's defence.

The on-loan Calum Chambers is ineligible against his parent club, though Tom Cairney and Alfie Mawson are pushing to start, the latter following his recovery from a back injury.

"He seems to live the profession 24 hours a day," the Fulham manager, 50, said about Emery.

"I believe he's going to be successful with the team. He's started really well after those two games (defeats by Manchester City and Chelsea)."



https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/arsenal/news/slavisa-jokanovic-hails-brave-unai-emerys-impact-at-arsenal_338032.html

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Fulham favourite Tim Ream opens up on the injury that threatened to end his career

The 31-year-old returned to Fulham's starting line-up against Millwall and is looking to keep the side in the Premier League

Tim Ream ended Fulham's promotion winning 2017/18 season on the biggest high of his career, having lifted the Championship play-off trophy in May before being named the club's Player of the Season a month later.

It had been six years since he dropped out of the top flight with Bolton Wanderers and now he was ready to be the core centre back in a new-look Fulham side that was ready to mount an assault on the Premier League having spent £100million over the summer transfer window.

That was, until the week before the season started, where a back injury meant that the 31-year-old may never have got the chance to play football again, let alone in the top flight.

Sitting in the press room at Motspur Park, with the scar of a head clash in pre-season above his left eye still clear for all to see, Ream is coy on the exact details of the injury, mindful of a possible recurrence that could see him ruled out for even longer.

He's had his ups and downs at Craven Cottage, but having been told by head coach, Slavisa Jokanovic, where he stood going into the new season and then having it taken away by an injury that had no return date was a tough pill to take.

He's back now, however, playing 60 minutes in the 3-1 Carabao Cup win over Millwall before featuring for the entirety of the 3-0 defeat to Everton last weekend, and despite it taking him just six weeks to get back from that injury, Ream admits there are no guarantees and that he needs to stay on top of things to ensure his fitness continues.

He said "It [suffering the injury] was more... it was difficult. It was more personally frustrating than anything else because I knew, based on and pre-season talking with the staff, I knew where I stood.


Tim Ream takes it all in on the Wembley pitch after achieving promotion with Fulham (Image: Nigel French/PA Wire)

"There was going to be that and having something taken, not by anyone else, but by my body, was terribly frustrating to know there was nothing I could have done, or did to prevent it and know there was no light at the end of the tunnel.

"It wasn't like a muscle injury and say, okay, four weeks and here we go. I could do a few things but there was nothing I could do to speed up recovery, make it strong and that was the agonising part.

"Then we had bodies coming in. We won promotion, we knew the score, new guys would need to come in and we all knew that. We needed people to help the team, be all aboard.

"That didn't upset me, just the nature of the whole recovery - knowing there was nothing I could do.

"There's no explanation. I knew something was wrong right away but I am saving those details for myself.

"It was one of those things where I was hanging out with the wife and kids and some things didn't feel right.

"Sure enough, I went in the next day and got confirmation I was going to be out with no time frame.

"[Was it career threatening?] Yeah, it could have been.


Tim Ream made his first Premier League start of the season against Everton (Image: Jan Kruger/Getty Images)

"I know eventually I will be able to explain everything, explain what went wrong but I am going to give that a little bit of time before I know I am clear of any recurrence.

"But yes, I had a few wobbles, a few rough nights, days. There was no time telling when I would come back.

"There is no time frame. I could have been out another four to six weeks but we went another route and and hopefully now it has settled down and I am back in training.

"There is no guarantee, there are still a few things I need to stay on top of, but I have been doing that and the fact I have played 60 minutes and then 90 minutes later that week and came through with out any recurrence has gone a long way for my mental and physical confidence."

Fulham's start to the season has been marred with injuries and an unsettled defensive unit that has shipped goals in their seven games so far.

Ahead of their game with Arsenal, the club are flirting near the bottom three having won just one game so far this season, a 4-2 win over Burnley in August - and those bottom three places are somewhere that Ream has been before.


Tim Ream suffered a head injury in Fulham's pre-season game with Reading (Image: Get Reading)

He was relegated from the Premier League with the side in 2012 having joined midway through the season, but he thinks that the situation he encountered in that season with Bolton is of stark contrast to the one that he's currently undergoing with Fulham this season.

After Sunday's game and the international break, the Cottagers face Cardiff City, Bournemouth and Huddersfield Town in what are looking increasingly like must-win games for Jokanovic's men.

It's something that Ream agrees with, with the American believing that the results of those game will be more of a indicator of where Fulham will be this season.

He added: "They're completely different situations. At Bolton when I came in they were already down there. I think I had 12 or 13 games. They'd already played over half their season and were stuck down there, and that's the way we finished.

"Here, there's so much of the season left.

"Obviously you can't just say. 'Oh, well, there's the next game, and the next game.' It doesn't work like that, but I don't know that there needs to be any panic setting in yet.

"You look at the results and the schedule to date and it's been fairly tough.


Tim Ream after the final whistle in the Championship play-off final (Image: John Walton/PA Wire)

"I think the result everyone's really disappointed with is Brighton [Fulham let go a 2-0 lead] - win that match and, all of a sudden, your points haul for the first two months of the season isn't looking too bad, particularly for a newly promoted side.

"I don't think you can get overly anxious at this point in the season. After the international break the results are going to be a lot more indicative of where we're going to be.

"It's the matches after this break that I think will be the most important"

After moving to SW6 in 2015, Ream now has a special bond with the Fulham fans.

"REAMMMMMM" is a common sound whenever he gets on the ball, a simple but sweet ode to a firm fan favourite at Craven Cottage.

He was chosen as Player of the Season last year, despite Ryan Sessegnon scoring 16 goals and Aleksandar Mitrovic bagging himself 12 from February to the end of the season, and in a career that has seen him play for his country and win at Wembley, that honour is one that stands out in his carrer.

"It's not been all roses the entire time I've been here, my first season and a half was not the best.

"We'll leave it at that.

"But to now have what I have with the fans, that relationship, that chant, simple as it is, is nice.

"To be vindicated in the way I play by being chosen as the fans' Player of the Season was special - only because of the way I started out and to then turn it around in a promotion-winning team with four or five guys that could have easily won that award.

"It is special to me, and it stands out in my professional and personal career."



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/fulham-favourite-tim-ream-opens-15241326

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham v Arsenal: Live stream, TV channel, kick-off time, preview and how to watch the Premier League clash on BT Sport

Fulham v Arsenal live stream and TV channel details, plus a match preview, exclusive videos, team news, match odds and more as BT Sport brings you an intriguing high-noon Premier League showdown on Sunday from Craven Cottage.

Fulham v Arsenal live stream and TV coverage will br available across the BT Sport network as the London rivals meet in a Premier League high-noon shoot-out on Sunday.

We'll bring you all the action from Craven Cottage on BT Sport 1 HD, in stunning ultra-high definition on BT Sport 4K UHD and online via the revolutionary enhanced video player.

BT Sport subscribers can simply bookmark this match page, return at 11.30am when our coverage starts (kick-off is at 12pm) and then click here to watch a Fulham v Arsenal live stream on BTSport.com.

The award-winning BT Sport app will also provide customers with a Fulham v Arsenal live stream from this time onwards.

Both digital platforms put 360° live streams and highlights at viewers' fingertips, offering a unique new way to watch Premier League football.

If you're not yet a BT Sport subscriber, just choose your preferred option from our selection of sign-up packages and we'll get you set up with BT Sport in just 15 minutes.

Fulham v Arsenal: Match Preview
Arsenal's brave new dawn under Unai Emery appears to be gathering pace as they prepare for a potentially tricky trip to Fulham on Sunday afternoon.

Thursday's 3-0 Europa League win at Qarabag was an eighth successive victory in all competitions for the Gunners.

On the surface, it is an impressive response to the back-to-back Premier League defeats suffered at the hands of Manchester City and Chelsea in the Spaniard's first two games in charge.

The main source of encouragement is their goalscoring ability – Arsenal have already netted X times in those ten outings under Emery to date.

But dig a little deeper and it is easy to see why no-one associated with the club is taking anything for granted in the nascent stages of their new manager's tenure.

Lady luck has smiled on Arsenal during their winning streak, with their opponents' profligacy sparing them on several occasions.

Last weekend's 2-0 defeat of Watford at the Emirates Stadium was a case in point – the Hornets had more than enough chances in the first half in particular to leave the Gunners with a mountain to climb.

Many of the defensive flaws that characterised the second half of Arsene Wenger's reign are still unsolved and the concern is that better teams will punish them ruthlessly.

Whether Fulham fall into that category remains to be seen.

The Cottagers have stubbornly declined to take a backward step since returning to the top flight, with boss Slavisa Jokanovic insisting his side carry the fight to every opponent.

In that sense, they are almost a kind of Arsenal-lite, refusing to compromise their attacking principles regardless of the situation.

On the evidence of the opening two months of the season, Aleksandar Mitrovic is the man most likely to deliver for Fulham.

The Serb looks twice the player who struggled to make an impact in the Premier League during his time with Newcastle and his physicality will provide a real test for Arsenal's shaky back line.

But by the same token, the Gunners have more than enough firepower in their locker to pick off the hosts on the break if they over-commit.

Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have struck up a promising partnership, while Mesut Ozil looks to have moved on from his acrimonious retirement from Germany duty.

Goals, then, appear to be assured at Craven Cottage on Sunday.

Who will rack up the most is anyone's guess – but that alone makes this London derby one not to be missed.

Fulham v Arsenal: Team News
Fulham will be without full-backs Timothy Fosu-Mensah (shoulder) and Joe Bryan (hamstring), who were both injured in last weekend's defeat at Everton.

However, Alfie Mawson could be restored to the heart of the Cottagers' defence after recovering from a back complaint, particularly in the absence of Calum Chambers, who cannot play against his parent club.

Arsenal, meanwhile, are hoping that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is fit enough to feature after missing the midweek Europa League win at Qarabag through illness.

Bernd Leno will continue to deputise for hamstring injury victim Petr Cech in goal, while Aaron Ramsey could be included in the matchday squad depending on when his wife gives birth to their twins.

Laurent Koscielny (achilles), Ainsley Maitland-Niles (broken leg) and Konstantinos Mavropanos (groin) all remain sidelined.

Fulham v Arsenal: The Managers
Fulham head coach Slavisa Jokanovic: "We cannot be satisfied with this spell during this first seven games, it's huge room ahead of us to improve and we must try and work hard to fix all our problems.

"One of these is conceding so many goals and we are working in this direction to try find a solution.

"This is not our best level...we need to be more ambitious and need to show more aggression and more speed."

Arsenal head coach Unai Emery: "Fulham is a very big challenge for us, first because it's away and second because each match in the Premier League is very, very difficult.

"Fulham bought very good players like Seri, like Anguissa, and they have Mitrovic and Schurrle too.

"We need to push against them on Sunday and show our best performance."

Fulham v Arsenal: Key Stats
• Fulham last faced Arsenal in January 2014 in the Premier League, losing 2-0 – the Cottagers have won just three of their 26 Premier League games against the Gunners (D5 L18).
• Fulham haven't kept a clean sheet in a home Premier League London derby match since beating QPR 6-0 in October 2011 – they've conceded in each of their 14 such matches since.
• There have been four red cards shown in the last four Premier League meetings between Fulham and Arsenal at Craven Cottage (2 each).
• Arsenal have won only one of their last eight away London derbies in the Premier League (D2 L5), winning 3-2 at Crystal Palace in December 2017.
• Arsenal have a 51.3% win rate in Premier League London derbies (123/240) – the best in the division. Meanwhile, Fulham have the lowest win rate in these games (20.8% - 25/120).
• Arsenal have won their last two Premier League away games under Unai Emery, the same number they won in their last 12 on the road under Arsene Wenger (W2 D3 L7). They last won three in a row in October 2016 (a run of four).
• Fulham are one of just two teams yet to keep a Premier League clean sheet this season, along with Brighton.
• Aleksandar Mitrovic has scored nine goals in his last 10 league appearances for Fulham at Craven Cottage (excluding play-offs).
• In the Premier League this season, Arsenal concede on average 0.5 goals per 90 minutes when Lucas Torreira is on the pitch, compared to 2.2 per 90 when he isn't. Both of Arsenal's clean sheets in the league this season have been when the Uruguayan has played the full 90 minutes.

Fulham v Arsenal: Match Odds
Fulham: 9/2

Draw: 7/2

Arsenal: 8/13

All odds correct with Bet365 at the time of writing



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