Arsenal vs Fulham LIVE: Premier League updates as Gunners look to maintain title race alive
Arsenal take on Fulham this evening when the Premier League resumes following the international break.
A pause in proceedings has allowed the teams to regroup and assess what they need to do to end the season on a high with Arsenal fighting for the Premier League and Champions League titles. The Gunners are 12 points back in the top-flight and will need Liverpool to slip up if they have any chance of winning the trophy in May.
Mikel Arteta’s side will also need a clean sweep of victories to keep the pressure on Arne Slot’s Reds which starts when they host a Fulham team recently knocked out of the FA Cup.
Marco Silva’s men were beaten 3-0 at the weekend by Crystal Palace in a uncharacteristically weak performance. The Cottagers have performed well against teams above them in the table and they have the chance to close the gap to the top four should they beat Arsenal.
Follow all the updates from the Emirates Stadium with our live blog below:
Arsenal 0-0 Fulham
Arsenal are starting to settle in possession now after letting the visitors have a decent share of the ball early on.
There’s half a chance for the hosts straight away too, as Martinelli bursts past Castagne before his cutback is deflected into the path of Partey, who drags his effort wide.
Arsenal 0-0 Fulham
Some decent early possession from the visitors in the opening stages. They advance to the edge of the Arsenal box but are forced backwards, though they’re recycling possession well so far.
Arsenal 0-0 Fulham
It is indeed a back five for Fulham when out of possession, as they look to nullify Arsenal’s attacking threat.
Arsenal vs Fulham LIVE
Both sides are in the tunnel at the Emirates, so we’re around five minutes from kick-off.
Premier League to introduce semi-automated offside technology this month
Some news from the Premier League ahead of kick-off…
Semi-automated offsides will be introduced in Premier League matches for the latter stages of the current season, the league has revealed.
The technology was originally intended to be introduced after one of the autumn international breaks in October or November.
It was notably debuted in English football during the FA Cup fifth round at the start of March, featuring in seven of the eight ties being played.
Premier League midweek fixtures
There’s one more match on today in the Premier League, before a Merseyside derby tomorrow and another London derby on Thursday. Below is a full list of the midweek matches:
Tue, 1 April
Arsenal vs Fulham
Wolves vs West Ham (7.45pm)
Nottingham Forest vs Man Utd (8pm)
Wed, 2 April
Manchester City vs Leicester City (7.45pm)
Southampton vs Crystal Palace (7.45pm)
Bournemouth vs Ipswich (7.45pm)
Brighton vs Aston Villa (7.45pm)
Liverpool vs Everton (8pm)
Thursday, 3 April
Chelsea vs Tottenham (8pm)
Arsenal reach decisive point in the season
Though many will claim that Arsenal’s title challenge has already failed, the Gunners are still about to enter a decisive point in their 24/25 season.
Perhaps more importantly than the Premier League, Mikel Arteta’s side have their Champions League quarter-final coming up against Real Madrid, with the first leg taking place a week today at the Emirates, before the return leg at the Bernabeu on 16 April.
If they were to progress from that round, they would face the winner of the tie between PSG and Aston Villa in the semi-finals.
And that may well be on Arteta’s mind as he tries to navigate the remaining nine Premier League fixtures, with his side still 12 points behind Liverpool.
The race for Europe
While the title and relegation spots are very close to being set in stone, there’s plenty to play for in the European places.
With the top five almost guaranteed Champions League football, there’s even more to play for than usual between second and eighth.
At present, Chelsea and Manchester City occupy fourth and fifth, though the Blues are only fiver points ahead of 10th-placed Bournemouth.
Here is how the table looks with nine games to go:
4th – Chelsea – 49pts
5th – Man City – 48pts
6th – Newcastle – 47pts (with game in hand)
7th – Brighton – 47pts
8th – Fulham – 45pts
9th – Aston Villa – 45pts
10th – Bournemouth – 44pts
Match facts
Fulham have won five of their last eight Premier League games (L3), more than their previous 15 beforehand (W4 D7 L4). Away from home, the Cottagers have won three of their last four league matches.
Arsenal’s Premier League games this season are averaging 23.6 shots per match (13.9 for, 9.7 against), the lowest of any side in the competition this term. Meanwhile, Fulham rank fourth-lowest for this at 24.7.
However, the Gunners have restricted their opponents to less than 0.50 xG in 11 of their 29 Premier League games this season.
