Fulham v Arsenal – Preview, Predictions, and Best Bets

Fulham host Arsenal in the English Premier League on Sunday. The Cottagers are wildly inconsistent but face a Gunners team who are not firing on all cylinders right now. Fulham have lost 3-0 on the last two occasions that they have hosted Arsenal.

Fulham Form

The Cottagers have lost six of their last nine league matches. The bizarre thing is that two of their three wins during that run were 5-0 home victories, highlighting their inconsistency right now. After successive losses, they beat Wolves 3-2 at home and only two late goals denied them in a 4-3 loss at Liverpool.

They then put five goals past both Nottingham Forest and West Ham in wins just four days apart. They’ve since lost every league match: 3-0 at Newcastle with ten men, 2-0 at home to struggling Burnley, and 3-0 away to Bournemouth on Boxing Day.

Fulham Team News

Willian has a hamstring problem and is likely to miss this match. Tim Ream is an injury doubt and may not be risked after missing a few matches.

Adama Traore is closing in on a return from a hamstring strain. Raul Jimenez is back to lead the line after a three-match suspension for a red card.

Fulham Motivation

It’s difficult to know which Fulham you will get. They play such an open game that they can score plenty of goals or leak a fair few.

A draw would be a good result after three successive losses. However, don’t expect Marco Silva to play a defensive game to get a point.

Arsenal Form

Arsenal are not at their best right now. On Thursday, they had 30+ shots in a 2-0 home loss to West Ham where they never looked convincing in attack. They won 4-3 at Luton to make it six wins in a row not long ago but it required a 97th minute goal in an off-colour display.

A 1 0 defeat at Aston Villa followed where they spurned plenty of chances. After a 1-1 dead rubber draw at PSV, they put up a top display to beat Brighton 2-0 at home with the Seagulls only having one shot on target. A 1-1 draw on the 23 December at Liverpool was a good result prior to the West Ham setback.

Arsenal Team News

Jurien Timber and Takehiro Tomiyasu are injured in defence. Oleksandr Zinchenko is struggling defensively so Jakub Kiwior could play at left back.

Thomas Partey and Fabio Vieira are absent in midfield with injuries. Kai Havertz will start after a one-game suspension. Eddie Nketiah could be handed a place in the XI with Gabriel Jesus out of form.

Arsenal Motivation

Nothing less than a win will do. They have to grind out three points here, regardless of style of play.

A draw would feel like a loss and almost signal a mini crisis in their ranks.

Key Stats

Fulham have lost 6 of their last 9 EPL matches

Fulham have lost 3-0 in their last 2 home matches vs Arsenal

Arsenal have just 1 win in 5 matches in all competitions

Arsenal are winless in 3 away matches (LDD)

Arsenal have conceded in 6 of their last 7 matches

Verdict

Fulham are a mixed bag but have Jimenez back and some attacking threat. Arsenal are leaking goals too often but they have the quality to take three points in this match.

Best Bet: Arsenal win at 1.55

Value Bet: Arsenal win and Both to Score at 3.25

James O'Connor

James is a football analyst who writes about the tactics of the PSL and English Premier League. He holds the UEFA A coaching licence and has previously worked for several clubs in analysis roles.Twitter: https://twitter.com/footy_analysis