Mikel Arteta has admitted he is braced for a “big challenge” ahead of Arsenal’s bid to reduce Liverpool’s Premier League lead to just four points.
Liverpool’s derby postponement against Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday has cleared the way for Arteta’s men to edge closer to the Reds when they face Fulham.
Arsenal will start as favourites to take all three points at Craven Cottage, but they will also be wary of their last visit to take on Marco Silva’s side which saw their championship challenge unravel 12 months ago.
Bukayo Saka opened the scoring after just five minutes only for Raul Jimenez to equalise and then Bobby De Cordova-Reid to score a second-half winner for the west Londoners.
The Gunners were also held to a 2-2 draw in the game at the Emirates last term and speaking prior to Sunday’s match, Arteta said: “It will be a big challenge. Last year we lost five points against them.
“I’ve always been very complimentary about them, about their coach and what they do. It’s always a really tough place to go.”
Arteta is set to tackle a trio of former Arsenal players on Sunday, with Bernd Leno, Alex Iwobi, and Emile Smith Rowe all now starring for the Cottagers. Reiss Nelson, currently on loan from Arsenal, also played in Fulham’s previous outing – a 3-1 win against Brighton on Thursday – but he is ineligible to face his parent club.
At one stage, Smith Rowe, a product of Arsenal’s Hale End Academy, was competing with Martin Odegaard for the same spot in Arteta’s side.
But Odegaard, who will captain Arsenal for the 100th time on Sunday, won the battle, with Smith Rowe sold to Fulham last summer in a deal that could be worth as much as £34million.
The 24-year-old was restricted to only three Premier League starts last season but he has played in all 14 games so far for Fulham, starting in all but one, and scoring three times. The Cottagers are sixth in the table, just six points behind Arsenal.
“It was obviously a very tough decision to let Emile go, especially because personally, I feel really grateful for what he did for the club and for me,” said Arteta.
“In that period of time, I think he was instrumental in changing some things around, but in the end, players have to play.
“When you look at someone in their eyes, and he really believes it is the move for him, the right time to move and that he really needs another challenge, you have to understand that, show your gratitude and move on.
“He had a lot of difficult moments as well. A lot of struggles with injuries when we were together and he needed that fresh start. It’s normal. We understood that and we let him go.
“Once they leave you have to leave them to do their own thing. You speak to them once in a while, but I am very grateful for what they did for us and wish them the best.”
