Arsenal predicted starting XI v Fulham as Mikel Arteta makes big Eze and Martinelli decisions

Arsenal travel to Fulham on Saturday evening in what could be a potential banana skin fixture for the Gunners following the two-week international break.

Marco Silva’s side go into the meeting with four wins in their last three Premier League fixtures and Craven Cottage has seen Arsenal drop crucial points over the previous two seasons.

Despite the break, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta will still have to rotate his squad with some first team stars racking up more international minutes than others. There is also, of course, the injury to Martin Odegaard that must be accounted for.

Speaking after the win over West Ham last time out, Arteta said: “[Rotation] is critical. We're playing every three days and with the intensity that we play and the requirements of the opposition, it's impossible to maintain the same players. So the ones that are coming, they have to lift the level, the intensity and help us to win the game. We talked about many, many times and in this period especially, I think it's been really, really positive.”

Arsenal predicted XI v Fulham

Goalkeeper: David Raya

Defenders: Jurrien Timber, William Saliba, Gabriel, Riccardo Calafiori

The goalkeeper and back four pick itself for Arsenal when all players are fully fit. David Raya is the undisputed number one with summer signing Kepa Arrizabalaga so far only afforded minutes in the Carabao Cup.

Gabriel was an unused sub in Brazil’s 3-2 defeat to Japan this week, so will arrive at Fulham with fresh legs. Jurrien Timber, William Saliba and Riccardo Calafiori were all involved for the Netherlands, France and Italy respectively but came through unscathed.

Mikel Arteta faces big midfield call in Odegaard absence

Midfielders: Eberechi Eze, Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice

The centre of the park is where Arteta faces the biggest decision to make this week. Odegaard is out but that does not mean a shortage of options to be deployed.

Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi seem shoo-ins, so that leaves one other of the central midfield spots up for grabs between Eberechi Eze, Mikel Merino and Christian Norgaard.

Eze seems most likely to get the nod, able to bring a creativity that would compliment the work of Zubimendi and Rice. However, Merino could be hard to overlook given his goalscoring exploits for club and country recently.

Norgaard completed 90 minutes for Denmark over the break and spoke about wanting more minutes at Arsenal after the match, but those will most likely come from the bench against Fulham. The former Brentford man said: “It’s also important for me to get these minutes to show the club that I can get through these games.

“I think now, considering how few minutes I’ve played with Arsenal, there were no flaws, no cramps or anything. Hopefully the coach is at home watching to see that I can handle it physically.”

Forwards: Bukayo Saka, Viktor Gyokeres, Gabriel Martinelli

Arsenal will no doubt persevere with Viktor Gyokeres leading the line, despite not having scored in his last three outings. The Sweden international also failed to net over the break but has garnered somewhat of a reputation as a ‘flat-track bully’ and could look to return to form against 14th place Fulham. Starboy Bukayo Saka is the first name on the teamsheet.

It remains to be seen who Arteta deploys on the right flank. Neither Leandro Trossard or Gabriel Martinelli have particularly prolific records against the Cottagers but both did net for their countries this week. Martinelli only played 54 minutes against Japan with Trossard on for all 90 against Wales, which could see the former handed his first start league start since August.

In other news, 'Not as effective' - Arsenal star features in international win surrounded by 10,000-person protest.