Will the Gunners consolidate their lead at the top of the table?
In Saturday evening’s Premier League top match, Fulham FC will face Arsenal FC at Craven Cottage. Fulham has lost its last two league games and is currently in 14th place with eight points. Arsenal, on the other hand, took the lead in the table for the first time after Liverpool’s slip-up against Chelsea and has collected 16 points in its first seven games. However, the hosts are still unbeaten at home and have won four of their five competitive games, scoring in the second half of every PL home game. Therefore, in our Fulham vs. Arsenal prediction, we are again expecting the Cottagers to score in the second half.
Fulham have been in inconsistent form in recent weeks. After two consecutive wins at Craven Cottage, the Cottagers could win three Premier League home games in a row for the first time since December 2023. They are also unbeaten in their three home games so far this season – if they manage to pick up a point against Arsenal, it would be the first time since the 2011-12 season that they have remained unbeaten in their first four home games of a league season.
However, Marco Silva’s team is in a bit of a slump after two consecutive defeats. Fulham conceded three goals in both games. Should they lose again, it would be their first run of three league defeats since December 2023. Fulham last conceded three or more goals in three consecutive Premier League games in September 2020 – during that run, they also lost 3-0 to Arsenal.
The home side’s record against their upcoming opponents does not bode well either: in their last 14 Premier League encounters with Arsenal, they have only celebrated one victory (four draws, nine defeats) – a 2-1 win in December 2023. In addition, Fulham have conceded at least one goal in each of their last 20 league games against the Gunners. In our Fulham vs. Arsenal prediction, we are betting on at least two goals from the Gunners.
Arsenal goes into the London derby in strong form and with impressive defensive stability. Since their opening game against Manchester United, in which they conceded 22 shots on goal, the Gunners have conceded fewer than ten shots on goal in each of their subsequent six Premier League games – an outstanding run that has only been surpassed in the league by Liverpool from April to August 2022 (nine games). For Arsenal themselves, it is the longest known streak of its kind since Opta records began (2003-04).
Mikel Arteta’s team has also been consistently strong in London derbies, losing only one of their last 18 capital clashes (13 wins, four draws) – a 1-0 defeat to West Ham in February last season. Away from home, they have lost only one London derby since the start of the 2022-23 season – curiously, also at Fulham (1-2 in December 2023). For another win, you can secure Arsenal vs. Fulham win odds of 1.57 in the Interwetten app.
Offensively, the Gunners are more versatile than ever before. With nine different goalscorers (excluding own goals), they lead the league alongside Brighton. Only in the 2009-10 and 2018-19 seasons did they have ten different goalscorers in their first eight games. A key player in the current phase is Declan Rice. The midfield dynamo has been directly involved in a goal in each of the last two league games (one goal, one assist) and could now score a goal or provide an assist in three consecutive Premier League games for the first time since May 2024.
Fulham – Arsenal Head-to-head record
Fulham and Arsenal have met 60 times in the Premier League so far. The record clearly favors the Gunners: Arsenal have won 39 of these matches, while Fulham have only emerged victorious eight times. 13 encounters ended in a draw. The goal difference also underlines the dominance of the North Londoners – Arsenal have scored 132 goals, while Fulham have only managed 64.
Fulham – Arsenal Tip
Fulham FC are unbeaten at home this season, winning four of their five home games at Craven Cottage – scoring in the second half of every PL game.
However, their record against the Gunners is rather bleak, as they have won only one of their last 14 PL matches – and have conceded at least one goal in each of their last 20 encounters. Arsenal, on the other hand, have lost only one of their last 18 capital city derbies and go into this game as clear favorites as they top the table.
Arteta’s team has won six of its last seven games, scoring at least twice in each of those victories. What is striking about both teams is that in three of the Gunners’ last four away games, more goals were scored in the second half, and in two of the Cottagers’ last three PL home games. We therefore believe that this game will also see a high-scoring second half.
