Premier League: Arsenal Gunning for the New Boys

Arsenal vs Fulham

Newly-promoted Fulham make the short trip to North London on Saturday night to take on pacesetters Arsenal at a packed Emirates Stadium. 

Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal are top of the league and the fans are once again full of expectation, so the boss will see this Premier League fixture as an opportunity to cement that position. But Marco Silva’s Cottagers have made a great start on their return to the top-flight and they sit in seventh place with five points. 

The Premier League 2022 betting odds are pointing to another three points for Arteta’s men, but we can expect a real battle from the underdogs who have a lethal striker firing on all cylinders.

Two exciting young managers and players with a hunger for goals: it all adds up to a mouthwatering capital city clash.     

Talking Points

Gunners have multiple threats 

Having agonisingly missed out on a top four place last season, Arsenal have given themselves the perfect start this time around with positive Premier League 2022 results, including Patrick Vieira’s Crystal Palace 2-0 on the opening day and following that up with a 4-2 win over Leicester City.

And last time out, newly-appointed skipper Martin Odegaard scored twice in Arsenal’s 3-0 win away to Bournemouth which took the Gunners clear at the top of the table. Arteta’s decision to give the captain’s armband to the 23-year-old Norwegian star could well be a masterstroke.

When Granit Xhaka led the team, there was always a concern that the captain. The Swiss was known for his loose temperament and he would get himself and the club into trouble, but Odegaard is a more measured individual and seems comfortable with his new responsibility.

And Xhaka seems to be happy to play under him.  

Summer signing Gabriel Jesus scored two and made two goals in Arsenal’s 4-2 win over Leicester City, and the Brazilian has three assists in total, while his 21-year-old Selecao teammate Gabriel Martinelli also has two goals.

Jesus has been given the vice-captain role and is relishing that, while Martinelli looks capable of becoming a world star any time soon after some spectacular showings last season.

This is an exciting and youthful team with a lot of intelligence, characterised by the signing of Ukraine utility man Oleksandr Zinchenko from Manchester City.

It’s all looking pretty good so far for Arsenal who were rock bottom with no points from three games this time last year. Now they are top of the pile with a maximum nine.

Mitrovic is Premier quality

Draws with Liverpool and Wolves and then a home win against Brentford represents a very impressive start for the Cottagers, and Silva will be delighted by the form of his star striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, who has three goals already.

In Fulham’s 2020/21 relegation season, the Serb only scored three goals in 27 appearances, but he ripped up the Championship last term hitting a staggering record of 43 goals in a 46 match campaign.

The big question on all Fulham fans’ lips was whether their main man could step up a league this time, and so far, the answer is a resounding yes.

Mitrovic has already matched his 2020/21 tally and announced himself spectacularly with a brace on the opening day against title hopefuls Liverpool. And last week after Brentford had pegged back Fulham’s two-goal lead, he popped up with a 90^th minute winner.

After missing a host of chances, he nodded in a back post header to score his 98^th goal for the Cottagers. The fact that Mitrovic keeps getting into scoring positions is great news for Silva as goals will increase the striker’s confidence and it won’t be long before he registers 100 for Fulham.  

History

The head-to-headshave been very one-sided with the Gunners winning 21 to the Cottagers’ three in all competitions this century, though there have been six draws. 

In fact, the last meeting on Arsenal’s home turf in April 2021 ended in a 1-1 draw as Eddie Nketiah denied Fulham a famous win with a 97^th minute equaliser.   

That last-gasp leveller meant Arsenal have not lost at home to Fulham in the last 15 meetings at the Emirates.

And in terms of recent form, Arsenal have won six of the last six games while Fulham are unbeaten in five.  

Betting Tip

At SBOTOP odds of 1.26 to win, the Gunners are highly fancied to make it four wins from four and to end Fulham’s unbeaten start.

The draw is at 5.22 and Fulham are at 8.92 to spring a surprise, but I’m backing Arsenal to be ahead at the break as they have been in every game so far.

 

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