Arsenal are set to welcome Bukayo Saka back tonight (Tuesday) after spending more than three months on the sidelines with a hamstring injury. And manager Mikel Arteta faces a tough call on whether to throw him in from the start or ease him in from the bench.
Fulham are no pushovers, despite what their 3-0 FA Cup defeat at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday might suggest, and Arsenal will need all hands on deck to keep whatever faint Premier League title hopes remain. Here, Express Sport takes you through how Arteta is expected to set up his side…
Arsenal predicted XI vs Fulham (4-3-3)
Goalkeeper: Raya
David Raya has played every single minute in the Premier League this season and there is no reason for that to change ahead of Fulham’s trip to the Emirates Stadium.
Defence: Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly
Arteta now has something to think about at full-back, where the fit again Ben White is pushing to shake up the pecking order. Jurrien Timber and Myles Lewis-Skelly have not done a whole lot wrong, though, so the former Brighton man may have to wait a while longer. William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes pick themselves in the centre of defence.
Midfield: Odegaard, Partey, Rice
With Mikel Merino and Leandro Trossard both being utilised in an injury-hit front-three in recent weeks, Jorginho is the only genuine rotation option Arsenal have in the middle of the park.
And although the 33-year-old has been a useful squad player for the Gunners in his two-and-a-bit years at the club, there is no reason for Arteta to disrupt his first-choice midfield trio of Thomas Partey, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard.
Attack: Nwaneri, Merino, Martinelli
Arsenal‘s injury woes are finally letting up but their attacking trio still looks somewhat thrown together. With Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus out for the season, midfielder Merino is in line to continue up top. His injury-time equaliser for Spain against the Netherlands last week certainly won’t have hindered his cause.
Gabriel Martinelli came off the bench twice before the international break, and he should now be ready for a start. Then comes the Saka conundrum.
Arteta insists he is ‘ready to go’, but managing his minutes must surely be the top priority as he works his way back to full sharpness. With that in mind, expect to see Ethan Nwaneri start on the right before he makes way for Saka with half an hour to play.
