Arsenal host Fulham on Saturday evening as they go into the weekend top of the very early Premier League table.
The same starting XI has lined up for all three of Arsenal’s victories thus far this season. Mikel Arteta even picked this exact same lineup in the club’s final two preseason friendlies.
Here’s the familiar XI Arsenal may field which Arteta clearly decided upon back in July.
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 22, 2022
GK: Aaron Ramsdale – Arsenal’s number one may well face the man he replaced as the Gunners’ goalkeeper if Bernd Leno fills the space between the sticks for Fulham this weekend.
RB: Ben White – Arteta insisted that White could become “extraordinary” when he signed the Brighton defender a year ago. While he may not have hit that superlative just yet, the makeshift right-back is doing enough to keep Takehiro Tomiyasu out of the team.
CB: William Saliba – Not overdosed by the unrelenting rendition of Saliba’s new chant – which had been belted out to the tune of ‘Tequila’ throughout the victory over Bournemouth – Arsenal’s players enjoyed their own rendition in the dressing room after last weekend’s win.
CB: Gabriel – The burly Brazilian made his Premier League debut against Fulham on the opening day of the 2020/21 season, scoring while overseeing a clean sheet to mark a memorable day.
LB: Oleksandr Zinchenko – The scope of Zinchenko’s midfield wandering is such that the left-back took seven touches on the right-hand side of the pitch against Bournemouth.
CM: Thomas Partey – Such was their desire to secure the former Atletico Madrid man’s services, Arsenal paid Partey’s £45m release clause up front rather than using the more familiar instalment method.
CM: Granit Xhaka – In the ultimate answer to their fraternal rivalry, Granit Xhaka was named man of the match when his Switzerland side met his brother Taulant’s Albania outfit at Euro 2016.
AM: Martin Odegaard – After turning down a raft of shots in the opening two games, Odegaard scored with two first-time finishes against Bournemouth to bag his first top-flight brace since he was 15 (per Opta).
RW: Bukayo Saka – Arsenal’s leading scorer and assist provider last season has performed a surprisingly secondary role to the attacking successes of the current campaign.
ST: Gabriel Jesus – The devastatingly in-form forward has directly contributed to 11 goals in his last seven Premier League appearances (seven goals, four assists).
LW: Gabriel Martinelli – The 1996/97 Premier League player of the season Juninho Paulista was president of Ituano FC when Martinelli came through at the small Sao Paulo side.
