December 8th 2024.
This week, there has been a lot of talk about Gabriel's fitness leading up to Arsenal's match against Fulham at Craven Cottage today. The Gunners are looking to stay in the race for the top spot in the Premier League, currently held by Liverpool. In their last game against Manchester United, Arsenal's impressive set piece tactics helped them secure a victory and narrow the gap to just seven points behind Liverpool, who dropped points against Newcastle United.
Unfortunately, in their midweek game, Arsenal was missing both Gabriel Magalhaes and Riccardo Calafiori due to injuries. In their place, Jakub Kiwior and Oleksandr Zinchenko stepped up, but Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was hoping to have his towering defenders back for the match against Fulham. However, on Friday afternoon, both Gabriel and Calafiori were not seen at training, leaving their availability uncertain. When asked about their fitness in a pre-match press conference, Arteta remained tight-lipped as usual. The final decision on whether they will play will be made after a training session on Saturday.
While Calafiori and Gabriel may have missed the game against United, Thomas Partey and Mikel Merino were also absent in Arsenal's last game against West Ham. Partey, who had played the full 90 minutes against United, was rested, while Merino came on to replace Zinchenko in the final 20 minutes. The Gunners will be hoping to have all their key players back and ready for the busy festive period, with Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu still unavailable.
In addition to their Premier League match, Arsenal also have their eyes set on the upcoming Champions League clash against Monaco at the Emirates. Both teams are tied with 10 points, and a win for either side would secure automatic qualification for the knockout stages. This means that Arsenal could potentially have a strong lineup for their match against Fulham, with players like Bukayo Saka, who has been in top form against London rivals, leading the way.
Speaking of the lineup, here's our predicted XI for Arsenal's match against Fulham: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Odegaard, Partey, Rice, Saka, Havertz, Martinelli. It's a strong lineup, but with the busy schedule ahead, Arteta may opt to rotate some players.
For those wondering where to watch the match, it will be kicking off at 2pm on Sunday, December 8th. Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event will be broadcasting the game live, and subscribers can also stream it on Sky Go and NOW TV. It's sure to be an exciting match, so make sure to tune in!
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