A victory for hosts Arsenal against Fulham in the Premier League at the Emirates on Tuesday would temporarily close the gap to leaders Liverpool to nine points.
The Gunners are in second place with 58 points but they did at least beat rivals Chelsea 1-0 in their last game on March 16, while Fulham emerged as 2-0 victors against Tottenham Hotspur in the league on the same date and are in eighth place with 45 points.
Match preview
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Mikel Merino scored Arsenal’s only goal against Chelsea in the 20th minute and the game otherwise saw relatively little action, with neither side creating a big chance or generating at least one xG.
Mikel Arteta‘s team had not kept a clean sheet in their prior three matches, and had not kept their opponents at bay at the Emirates in their previous four home league outings.
The Gunners play a day before Liverpool but a defeat on Tuesday could allow third-placed Nottingham Forest to close the gap to the Londoners to just one point, though they are unlikely to be dragged into a top-four battle given they are 10 points ahead of fifth-placed Manchester City.
Arsenal were held to a 1-1 stalemate by Fulham in the reverse fixture on December 8, and they are in fact winless against the Cottagers in their last three attempts, losing once and drawing twice in that time.
Arteta’s side are unbeaten in five games but they failed to win three of those matches, and they also succumbed to defeat in two of their prior three.
The hosts’ record at the Emirates is mixed considering they have lost three, drawn two and won four of their nine most recent outings at home.
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Opponents Fulham will be looking to bounce back from their disappointing 3-0 FA Cup quarter-final defeat against Crystal Palace on Saturday, a game in which the victors only accumulated 29% possession but still managed to create three big chances.
To the Cottagers’ credit, their performance against Tottenham in the league was strong, with Marco Silva‘s side having restricted Spurs to just one shot in the first half.
Fulham could qualify for European football this season given just four points separate them from fourth-placed Chelsea, though they will play Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea in three of their next four matches.
Silva’s team have triumphed in four of their past six league games – losing two – while scoring nine goals, conceding on eight occasions and keeping one clean sheet in that period.
The Cottagers boast a strong away record having won five of their last six outings on the road, and they only lost one of their prior six away from home.
Team News
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Arsenal could be boosted by the return of Bukayo Saka to the squad on Tuesday, but Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz remain out.
Given Saka is not likely to start after only recently returning from a hamstring injury, Merino may be flanked in attack by wide players Leandro Trossard and Ethan Nwaneri.
Defensive midfielder Thomas Partey is likely to start alongside Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard in the middle of the pitch.
With defenders Riccardo Calafiori and Takehiro Tomiyasu both unavailable, there is no reason to suggest that Jurrien Timber, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes and Myles Lewis-Skelly will not start in a back four.
Meanwhile, Fulham could trust Raul Jimenez to lead the line up front, and the striker may be flanked by Willian and Alex Iwobi considering Harry Wilson and Reiss Nelson are injured.
Sander Berge and Sasa Lukic partnered each other in midfield when Fulham last played Arsenal, and they are the most probable duo to be paired together on Tuesday.
Kenny Tete‘s knee injury is likely to keep him out of action until late April, and perhaps Silva will name a back four consisting of Timothy Castagne, Joachim Andersen, Calvin Bassey and Antonee Robinson.
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Nwaneri, Merino, Trossard
Fulham possible starting lineup:
Leno; Castagne, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson; Berge, Lukic; Iwobi, Pereira, Willian; Jimenez
We say: Arsenal 1-1 Fulham
Though the Gunners could benefit from being able to call upon Saka, it would be surprising if he was able to make an impact in his first game back from injury.
Fulham’s strong track record against Arsenal in recent matchups bodes well for Silva, as does the fact that his side have been excellent away from home, and the Portuguese coach could earn another positive result on Tuesday.
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