Arsenal can use the motivation of last season's "worst performance" to conquer Fulham in Sunday's Premier League London derby and close the gap on leaders Liverpool, according to Gunners expert Charles Watts.
Mikel Arteta's side head to Craven Cottage on a run of four successive victories since returning from the international break, most recently earning a statement 2-0 triumph over Ruben Amorim's Manchester United in midweek.
However, Arsenal failed to win either of their two top-flight games against Fulham last season, following up a 2-2 home draw with a 2-1 loss at Craven Cottage on New Year's Eve 2023, a defeat that proved fatal to their hopes of winning the title.
Marco Silva's side have endured a mixed set of recent results, losing 4-1 at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers before a 3-1 beating of Brighton & Hove Albion, but they are only three places six points worse off than Arsenal in sixth position.
"I like watching Fulham," Watts told Sports Mole. "I think they're a really good team. Even that Wolves game, they played very well. They were leading, then it was one of those mad second halves where Wolves just scored pretty much every time they went forward. But, Fulham are a good side.
Watts: 'Fulham loss was Arsenal's worst performance of 2023-24'
"I like the way they keep the ball. They control the game. I've seen them control games, you know, even away from home. They were very unlucky at Man City, for example, not too long ago.
"Last season at Fulham was Arsenal's worst performance, they've got a point to prove there. Mikel and his team have done very well of using previous results as motivation in the past. Whenever there's been a sense of injustice or a poor performance, he's used that ahead of the game the following season. Time and time again, we've seen it.
"I'm sure he'll be doing it again because that was such a disappointing performance last season. Ultimately, it cost Arsenal as well. They'll want to put that right. They need to go to Fulham and put in a miles better performance than what they did last season. Because if they don't, they're going to lose, simple as that."
While Fulham and Arsenal are rivals on the field, the two London outfits share a positive relationship off the pitch, evidenced by the number of former Gunners who have found safe haven at Craven Cottage.
Arteta's side will be reuniting with Alex Iwobi, Bernd Leno and Emile Smith Rowe this weekend, while Reiss Nelson is also on loan at Fulham from the Emirates but will not be facing his parent club in Sunday's derby.
Watts: 'Hopefully Arsenal can disappoint Smith Rowe'
© Imago
Iwobi - scorer of a brace against Brighton on Thursday - Leno and Smith Rowe are all expected to start the game, though, and the latter can expect to receive a particularly warm reception from the Arsenal faithful, who still hold him in incredibly high regard.
Smith Rowe has immediately become a key player for Fulham, scoring three goals and providing two assists in 14 Premier League appearances this season, but Watts wants to see the 24-year-old on the losing side "for one game only".
"There's obviously a lot of Arsenal connections there," Watts added. "You've got Iwobi, Bernd Leno, I think a lot of Arsenal fans have a bit of a soft spot for Fulham now, especially because of that connection.
"It's going to be the first time that Smith Rowe come up against Arsenal. Everyone loves Emile Smith Rowe, so, it'll be good to see him. Hopefully, for one game only, he can be disappointed at the end of it."
As Everton and Liverpool's Merseyside derby on Saturday was postponed due to Storm Darragh, Arsenal can move to within four points of the Premier League leaders by beating Fulham, whom they have never lost to in successive league matches.
Ben Knapton
