Football
English Premier League: Fulham vs Arsenal Preview: Odds, Tips and Predictions
Fulham will host Arsenal in a Premier League London derby on 8 December. The Gunners have begun to find form again and recently beat West Ham 5-2 in another derby. Fulham will be at home at Craven Cottage and will seek to maximise the advantage gained by playing in front of their fans. We are expecting plenty of goals in this fixture and have more betting tips and predictions for Premier League betting enthusiasts who are keeping an eye on the odds.
Bukayo Saka of Arsenal scores the team's first goal from a penalty kick//Getty Images
Pre-game Odds and Win probability: The Gunners Expected to Win on the Road
Home: 23/5 (5.60) - 18%
Draw: 17/5 (4.40) - 23%
Away: 14/25 (1.56) - 64%
Head-to-Head Record
Last five meetings (Premier League)
31/12/23: Fulham 2-1 Arsenal
26/08/23: Arsenal 2-2 Fulham
12/03/23: Fulham 0-3 Arsenal
27/08/22: Arsenal 2-1 Fulham
18/04/21: Arsenal 1-1 Fulham
The points Arsenal dropped to Fulham in their last fixture at Craven Cottage would have been enough to secure them the Premier League title if added to their tally last season.
Fulham Current Form - DWWLD
Excluding the Brighton game on 5 December which a has yet to be played at the time of writing, Fulham have had three London derbies in their last five Premier League fixtures. Marco Silva’s men have fared well in those, picking up seven points. They beat Brentford 2-1 at home and Crystal Palace 2-0 away, earning a respectable 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur more recently. However, the Cottagers have dropped unnecessary points recently in a 1-1 draw with Everton and a 4-1 loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Key Players to Watch
- Alex Iwobi: Iwobi will be up against his former club and recently scored for Fulham against Wolves. The winger will be eager to repeat the feat.
- Emile Smith Rowe: Playing in behind the striker, Arsenal academy product Smith Rowe will also be eager to impress against his old side.
- Kenny Tete: Fulham’s standout player in the derby against Tottenham, Tete will be eager to continue his fine run of form.
Fulham Team News
The major injury concern for Fulham is Joachim Andersen, a centre-back who is among their best players. He picked up an injury in the defeat to Wolves. Jorge Cuenca has also been out injured along with Harrison Reed, but Ryan Sessegnon came off the bench against Tottenham to make his return. Reiss Nelson is on loan from Arsenal and so he will be ineligible to play against them.
Arsenal Current Form - DLDWW
The Gunners hit a slump recently but appear to have turned the corner again. They drew 2-2 with Liverpool in a game which saw Mikel Arteta’s men allow three points to slip from their grasp with defensive lapses. The Gunners dropped more points in a 1-0 loss to Newcastle and also allowed Chelsea to snatch a 1-1 draw. However, Arsenal have been in free-scoring form recently and beat Nottingham Forest 3-0 and West Ham United 5-2 in the Premier League, with a 5-1 win over Sporting CP sandwiched in between.
Key Players to Watch
- Bukayo Saka: The England winger’s quality is no secret, but he has been a particularly impressive creative influence for the Gunners this season. With 10 assists in only 13 games at the time of writing, he tops the Premier League in that regard. Last season, the top assist-maker – Ollie Watkins – only had 13 all season.
- Martin Ødegaard: The Norway international’s superb form and leadership have been key in helping the Gunners to break their slump.
- Kai Havertz: The Germany star appears to be finding his form again after a brief dip. He is one of the best players in the Premier League on his day.
Arsenal Team News
Arsenal have recently been without Thomas Partey and Mikel Merino due to injury issues. However, both injuries are relatively minor. Gabriel Magalhaes was taken off at half-time against West Ham with a recurrence of a previous injury sustained in the 5-1 UEFA Champions League win over Sporting CP. However, it also looks unlikely to be anything particularly serious at the time of writing.
Predicted Line-Up
Fulham (4-2-3-1): Leno; Tete, Diop, Bassey, Robinson; Lukić, Berge; Iwobi, Smith Rowe, Nelson; Jiménez
Arsenal (4-3-3): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Califiori; Ødegaard, Partey, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
Suggested Bets
Any fans looking into football betting sportsbooks could benefit from staying tuned to SportsBoom’s tips on popular sportsbooks.
Kai Havertz Anytime Goalscorer: Havertz had a tough run of form but has regained his spark with goals in his last two games at the time of writing – UEFA Champions League wins over Sporting CP and West Ham. (Odds TBA)
Over 2.5 Goals: Both teams have seen several high-scoring matches recently. Arsenal in particular are playing free-flowing football again and have quality attacking players. This fixture has often served up plenty of goals. (33/50 with Betway) (8/11 with Bet365)
Arsenal -1 Handicap: Ahead of their clash with Manchester United, Arsenal have won three games in a row in all competitions by at least three goals each. (137/100 with Betway) (6/4 with Bet365)
Kai Havertz of Arsenal celebrates scoring his team's second goal//Getty Images
Value Bets
Don't forget to leverage our betting tips on value bets, which are based on a betting strategy of looking for better potential returns on likely outcomes.
Kai Havertz First Goalscorer: Havertz’s goals against Sporting and West Ham both came in the first half and there is usually greater potential to win in the first goalscorer market. (Odds TBA)
Over 3.5 Goals: At the time of writing, Arsenal have seen over 3.5 goals in both of their last two games and there could be huge value here if that outcome takes place again. (17/10 with Betway) (7/4 with Bet365)
Arsenal -2 Handicap: Given how convincing the Gunners have been in recent weeks, the less risk averse among bettors may fancy Arsenal’s chances in the -2 handicap market. (4/1 with Betway) (15/4 with Bet365)
Prediction: Arsenal to Win Goalfest
This game usually produces plenty of goals and indications from Arsenal’s recent games are that this one could be even more open than usual. The Gunners are the stronger team and a 3-1 margin could be worth looking at in the correct score market.
Tim has over 27 years experience within the sports industry, working for football clubs Arsenal FC and Millwall FC, and boxing news websites British Boxing News, Boxing Social and Global Boxing News. His boxing articles have been published in Boxing News Magazine, national newspapers, plus many other major news outlets.