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Fulham logo
Premier League | Gameweek 1
Sep 12, 2020 at 12.30pm UK
Craven Cottage
Arsenal logo

Fulham
0 - 3
Arsenal


Hector (26'), Cairney (61')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Lacazette (8'), Magalhaes (49'), Aubameyang (57')
Aubameyang (39'), Bellerin (55')

How Arsenal could line up against Fulham

Sports Mole looks at how Arsenal could line up for their Premier League opener against Fulham on Saturday.

Six weeks on from their FA Cup triumph over Chelsea, Arsenal return to Premier League action on Saturday afternoon with a short trip to London rivals Fulham.

The Gunners may have ended 2019-20 on a positive note, but they finished down in eighth in the top flight - their lowest league placing since 1995.

Mikel Arteta has brought in some exciting new talents ahead of the new campaign, however, and this clash at Craven Cottage could present a chance for some of them to make their competitive debuts.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how Arsenal could line up against newly-promoted Fulham.



Possible ARSXI vs. FUL© Reuters

Out: Shkodran Mustafi (thigh), Gabriel Martinelli (knee), Pablo Mari (ankle), Calum Chambers (knee)
Doubtful: David Luiz (neck)

> Click here for Arsenal's latest injury and suspension news ahead of this match

Arguably the biggest selection call for Arteta to make is in goal, where Emiliano Martinez is battling with Bernd Leno to become first-choice keeper.

After impressing at the end of last season and doing well against Liverpool in the recent Community Shield, the shirt is very much Martinez's to lose.

An untimely neck injury sustained by David Luiz in training means that Rob Holding may have to be used as part of Arteta's now-favoured back five, with debutant William Saliba and the versatile Kieran Tierney either side.

Gabriel Magalhaes is another option, but he has barely started training since joining from Lille earlier this month.

Hector Bellerin seems certain to start at right wing-back, despite persistent links with a move to Paris Saint-Germain, while Ainsley Maitland-Niles should get the nod over Bukayo Saka on the opposite flank.

Granit Xhaka and Dani Ceballos have formed a solid holding-midfield partnership and, with the latter having rejoined on loan, they will get the chance to strengthen their understanding.

Further forward, Eddie Nketiah was in great form for England Under-21s during the international break and appears to have done enough to start through the middle, with star man Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and record signing Nicolas Pepe on the left and right respectively.

Aubameyang has been directly involved in 16 goals in 13 Premier League appearances against newly-promoted opponents, scoring three goals and assisting one in two games against Fulham in 2018-19.

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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta pictured on June 28, 2020
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool22165154213353
2Arsenal23138244212347
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest2313553327644
4Manchester CityMan City23125647301741
5Newcastle UnitedNewcastle23125641271441
6Chelsea23117545301540
7Bournemouth23117541261540
8Aston Villa2210663334-136
9Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2381053531434
10Fulham228953430433
11Brentford2284104039128
12Crystal Palace226972528-327
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd2275102732-526
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham2275102743-1626
15Tottenham HotspurSpurs22731245351024
16Everton225891928-923
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves2344153252-2016
18Ipswich TownIpswich2337132147-2616
19Leicester CityLeicester2235142348-2514
20Southampton2313191653-376


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