Arsenal will imminently face Fulham at Craven Cottage as Mikel Arteta’s side look to extend their lead atop the Premier League table after the international break
Arsenal are all set for their trip to Craven Cottage as Mikel Arteta’s side look to extend their Premier League lead. The Gunners have mustered an impressive 16 points from seven matches so far.
With the international break done and dusted, the English top flight returns and so do the league leaders. Arsenal face Fulham on Saturday evening and ahead of the weekend’s action, they hold a one-point lead at the summit.
They’ll be hoping to bolster said lead but will have to play the Cottagers without captain Martin Odegaard, who is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines with Injury.
Mirror Football takes a look at the news coming out of the Emirates before this fixture, including a Viktor Gyokeres ultimatum and a pricey transfer target being told he’s too good for the Gunners’ rivals.
Mikel Arteta’s Viktor Gyokeres ultimatum
Arsenal had been crying out for a No. 9 for some time before this summer and Arteta’s wish was granted when Swedish star Gyokeres arrived for £64million. But life hasn’t been easy in north London for him.
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He has scored three goals in 10 matches as an Arsenal player, which isn’t exactly terrible, but these figures pale in comparison to the fact that he averaged 35 goals across two seasons in Portugal.
Arteta is sticking by his striker, but admits he did offer him an ultimatum when he joined. The Spanish boss said: “I told him before the first meeting, the nine that I want is a nine that when he doesn’t score for six or eight games, he can handle that.
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“If not, you have to go somewhere else because the pressure is gone, the expectation is going to be there. So if you put a number nine shirt for Arsenal, you have to be able to say, OK, six games, don’t score.”
Antoine Semenyo told he’s too good for Spurs
Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo has started this season in scintillating form. He has scored six league goals in just seven games, only bettered by Erling Haaland. The Cherries also sit fourth in the table.
Such brilliant outings have of course been accompanied by transfer talk and Arsenal have emerged as a potential suitor. Gabby Agbonlahor, speaking on talkSPORT, thinks that not only would the £75m-rated Semenyo start right away for the Gunners, but that he’s far too good for bitter rivals Tottenham.
“I look at the league table, and name me a team Semenyo doesn’t start for on that left-hand side. Name one,” Abonglahor said. “He starts for Arsenal if [Eberechi] Eze plays in that number 10 position.
“[He’s] better than [Gabriel] Martinelli and [Leandro] Trossard. Better than [Cody] Gakpo. Starts for Spurs. Are Spurs big enough for him, though? Because he wants to play Champions League. He can do better than Spurs.”
Gabriel echoes Dowman praise
Having been away on international duty with Brazil, centre-half Gabriel was asked a question regarding who in the Arsenal squad is the most skillful. Some obvious candidates rise, including Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, but Gabriel did not opt for either of these stars.
The defender named Odegaard and Eze, but then added to Sky Sports: “I think Max [Dowman] as well. This guy is unbelievable! I’ve never seen anything like him on the pitch.”
Gabriel is not the only senior player to be wowed by young prodigy Dowman. New signing Cristhian Mosquera recently said: “I don’t mean to compare, but his style and way of playing is like Lamine Yamal.
“His movements are Lamine-esque. When they told me he was 15, I couldn’t believe it. He really is an incredible player, and I think he’s going to be world-class.”
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