Arsenal go into the weekend with the chance of putting pressure on Manchester City, as they host Fulham -- a side they've not lost to at home in 32 games (the longest any side has gone without defeat at home against another team in English football history). Fresh off an intense 1-1 draw against Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semifinal, Arsenal will be keen to keep the momentum going as we enter the final month of the 2025-26 Premier League season.
Here's everything you need to know about Saturday's game.
How to watch:
The match will be shown on Sky Sports Main Event and Premier League in the UK, NBC / Peacock in the U.S., JioHotstar in India and Stan Sport in Australia. You can also follow ESPN's live updates.
Key Details:
Kick-off time: Saturday, May 2 at 5:30 p.m. BST (12:30 p.m. ET; 10 p.m. IST; and 2:30 a.m. AEST, Sunday).
Venue: Emirates Stadium, London.
Referee: Jarred Gillett
VAR: Peter Bankes
Injury and Team News:
Arsenal
Kai Havertz, F: knock, OUT
Jurriën Timber, D: muscle, OUT
Mikel Merino, M: foot, OUT
Fulham
Kenny Tete, D: foot, OUT
Ryan Sessegnon, D: muscle, DOUBT
Alex Iwobi, M: hamstring, OUT
Kevin, F: leg, OUT
Talking Points:
No rest for the title contenders
With this game sandwiched between two Champions League semifinal legs against Diego Simeone's Atletico, Arsenal have little time and space to reset -- or indeed rest. The league leaders, though, know that this is what it takes to challenge for top honours in England and Europe.
With Man City only slated to play on Monday night, Mikel Arteta and his men also know that they could be six points ahead of City by the fulltime whistle at the Emirates. Sure, City will have two games in hand, but the psychological relief for Arsenal and pressure for City of Mikel Arteta's side getting those points on the board will be immense.
It won't be easy, though. With player fatigue evident, it'll be a test of both Arsenal's squad depth and Arteta's managerial nous.
Can Fulham make a late push for Europe?
They've gone under the radar for most of the season and they've not scored much recently but Fulham are in 10th and are just a point off seventh-placed Bournemouth and two behind sixth-placed Brighton & Hove Albion. Amid a midtable traffic jam, a couple of good results could see anyone move into prime position to seal a European spot (sixth gets you Europa League, seventh Conference League).
Considering it's been 14 years since Fulham last qualified for continental competition (the 2011-12 Europa League where they finished third in the group stage), Marco Silva would see sealing a UEFA competition spot a major achievement and a sign of the progress and stability he's brought to them over the past five years.
A win against the league leaders would lay quite the marker and set the stage perfectly for a strong finish to the season.
Will Saka start? Must Saka start?
Bukayo Saka's return to fitness has given Arsenal and their fans a massive boost: as it would when your talisman rocks up at the business end of the season looking primed for battle. In the two sub appearances he's had so far on his return, he's looked sharp and direct -- and that's exactly what Arsenal's attack needs right now as the pressure hits unprecedented highs this season.
You may look at his goals and assists tally of nine and think that's not too impressive, but he adds a dimension to Arsenal's gam, even when not scoring or assisting, that they simply don't possess otherwise. In fact, Saka is the only player in the Premier League to have had 20+ shots (28) and created 20+ chances (22) following a dribble this season.
What Arteta now needs to do is judge just how many minutes he can get from Saka and when, as he cannot afford another injury to his star winger. Can Arsenal break down an obstinate Fulham without Saka starting? Would it be better for him to come off the bench this weekend and start the second leg of their Champions League semifinal and try to take the game to Atleti? The answers could make or break Arsenal's season.
Where will a Fulham goal (if any) come from?
Over their past seven games, Fulham have scored four times (three coming in one game against Burnley) and their lone goal in last weekend's win over Aston Villa came via a now seemingly injured Ryan Sessegnon. They've played quite well but with Harry Wilson (10 goals, top scorer) losing his shooting boots and Raúl Jiménez (nine goals, four of them penalties) not getting many chances to add to his tally, the goals have dried up.
With Alex Iwobi -- their playmaker-in-chief from deep -- out injured, Silva needs to find a tune from the likes of Samuel Chukwueze (seven G+A), Joshua King (three G+A) and Emile Smith-Rowe (three G+A) if they are to break their Arsenal jinx, and indeed finish strongly this season.
Playing the meanest defence in the land -- Arsenal have conceded just 11 goals in 17 home Premier League games -- it will not be easy.
What do the numbers say?
Arsenal's 17 goals from corners in the Premier League this season -- including last weekend's winner against Newcastle United -- is the most corner goals any side has netted in a single campaign in the competition.
Eberechi Eze has scored seven goals this season in the league, and all of them have come in London. Only Olivier Giroud (first 14) and Tony Adams (first 12) have had more consecutive goals in the capital from the start of their league career with Arsenal.
Harry Wilson not only leads Fulham in goals (10) and assists (six), he is also only one of just 13 players in the Premier League to have 100+ passes into the opposition box (137) and 100+ touches in the opposition box (100)