Fulham head to North London to face Arsenal this Saturday, with both sides looking to continue their impressive starts to the season.
Last week, the Gunners beat Bournemouth 3-0 in impressive style, whilst the Cottagers secured a strong 3-2 win against local rivals Brentford. Both sides are yet to lose this season, showing the talent Mikel Arteta and Marco Silva have started the season with.
The West London side has not beaten the hosts since 2012, therefore they know they must perform at their best to have any chance of victory.
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Team News
There are no new injury concerns for the North London side, with Reiss Nelson the only notable absentee. The winger suffered a muscular injury after Arsenal's opening day win against Crystal Palace.
The 22-year-old featured in all but one pre-season match for the Gunners, so he will be hoping to come back from injury quickly. However, it will be hard to earn a place within the team, as Mikel Arteta is expected to keep the team unchanged for the fourth week in a row.
Emile Smith Rowe returned from injury against Bournemouth, after coming on in the 74th minute. It is likely the Englishman will be used as a substitute once again this coming weekend.
Fabio Vieira was an unused substitute last gameweek, after just coming back from injury. If Arteta's side are in control, it is likely the midfielder will make his debut for the North London side.
Marco Silva's squad have multiple injuries to contest with currently. Neeskens Kebano has a slight groin injury, leaving him as a doubt for the London derby.
New signing Manor Solomon and Harry Wilson are long-term absentees after suffering knee injuries in pre-season. It is expected they will be unavailable until October.
Despite starting three games this season, Marek Rodak will likely drop to the bench, with former Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno taking his place.
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Likely Lineups
Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Xhaka, Partey, Odegaard; Saka, Martinelli, Jesus
Leno; Tete, Adarabioyo, Ream, Robinson; Reed, Palhinha, Cairney; Pereira, Decordova-Reed, Mitrovic
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Key Players
Arsenal - Gabriel Jesus
The Brazilian striker has been in electrifying form this season. After joining from Manchester City for £45million (transfermarkt), the 25-year-old has five goal contributions in three matches.
Last season, the Gunners lacked a vocal point up front, but the Brazilian joined and made an immediate impact.
A key reason for his success is the fluidity between Jesus, Bukayo Saka, and Gabriel Martinelli. Therefore, if Fulham want to succeed, they will have to negate the threat from all three attackers. Otherwise, their defence will be cut open.
Fulham - Joao Palhinha
Aleksander Mitrovic may seem like the obvious key player for Fulham. However, in a tough game like this, the Portuguese midfielder might be the key.
To nullify the threat from the home side, the visitors will have to keep the midfield secure. Keeping the middle of the park compact will stop Arsenal from finding space to attack Fulham's backline.
This season, the 27-year-old midfielder has been a star in the middle of the park, helping the West London side to maintain their unbeaten start.
Over the past year, Palhinha has made 30 pressures and 3.25 tackles per 90 (Fbref), showing his talent on the pitch. The midfielder has been a brilliant signing for Marco Silva's side so far which will cause concern for the league leaders.
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Match Details
Where is the game being played?
The match is being played at the Emirates Stadium, which is situated in North London. It has been the home of the Gunners since 2006.
What time is kick-off?
Kick-off for the game is at 17:30 pm BST. Both sides will be hoping they can finish the day on a high.
How can I watch?
The match can be watched on Sky Sports Main Event in the UK, with coverage starting at 17:00 pm BST.