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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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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool24176158233557
2Arsenal25158251222953
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest25145641291247
4Manchester CityMan City25135752351744
5Bournemouth25127644291543
6Chelsea25127647341343
7Newcastle UnitedNewcastle2512584233941
8Fulham2510963833539
9Aston Villa2510873538-338
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2591063838037
11Brentford25104114342134
12Crystal Palace257992932-330
13Everton257992731-430
14Manchester UnitedMan Utd2485112834-629
15Tottenham HotspurSpurs24831348371127
16West Ham UnitedWest Ham2576122947-1827
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves2454153452-1819
18Ipswich TownIpswich2538142350-2717
19Leicester CityLeicester2545162555-3017
20Southampton2523201957-389


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