Game Week 3 Predictions: Arsenal to beat Fulham at the Emirates

Arsenal is primed to beat Fulham at the Emirates on Saturday but can the Lilywhites spring surprises? (Photo credit: Arsenal.com)

 Arsenal vs. Fulham

Emirates Stadium

3:00pm

Arsenal proved to be a different breed on Monday when they traveled to Selhurst Park to negotiate three points with Crystal Palace. It won’t always be pretty.

Takehiro Tomiyasu was sent off, albeit unfairly, but Arsenal had to defend deep to grind out the result after Martin Odegaard rolled the ball home past Sam Johnstone from the penalty spot after the latter hacked down Eddy Nketiah in the Palace area.

Fulham struggled last weekend and eventually lost 3-0 at home to Brentford, but they were their own enemies. They gave the ball away in dangerous areas, and the visiting bees didn’t forgive them; they must have learned from that.

The Lilywhites officially sold Alexander Mitrovic to a Saudi club and replaced him with Raul Jimenez; how well has the Mexican healed from the PTSD from the clash of heads with Arsenal’s David Luiz? He hasn’t been the same since then, and you wonder why Fulham went for him.

The Gunners have just one job: to keep up the pressure with the champions, who currently sit one spot above Arsenal on the log on goal difference. A win will take Arsenal to the top of the table, pending when City and Brighton play their respective games.

Fulham can field Paulinha after the Portuguese dusted off a slight injury, and Adama Traore can run the lines after joining from Wolves. Arsenal will once again face their former goalkeeper, Bernd Leno, who does have lots of points to prove against the team that sold him two years ago.

Arsenal will be able to welcome Gabriel Jesus back to the lineup after healing faster than expected from a suspected knee problem, and that will leave fans wondering what happens with Kai Havertz and Eddie Nketiah.

Arsenal have the quality depth that can rattle their visitors, with Leo Trossard waiting in the wings. Reis Nelson can back up Bukayo Saka if they need attacking options, and the defense is probably one man away from being shoulder-to-shoulder with the best in the league.

Expect Fulham to try to play expansive football when they file out at the Emirates on Saturday. They have it all to do against one of the best in the land, but they will get their chances. How will they deal with the towering sights of William Saliba, Gabriel Maghalaes, and Ben White?

Verdict: Arsenal to win