Follow all the action from Fulham vs Arsenal with our live blog, including team news and updates from Craven Cottage as Mikel Arteta's men look to start the new Premier League season with a win.
Dan Mountney
Can Arsenal start the 2020/21 season with a win at Fulham? CREDIT: OFFSIDE
A very warm welcome to the Gooner Fanzine's live blog as Arsenal take on Fulham.
We'll have all the action from the Craven Cottage as the Gunners look for the perfect start to the new Premier League season.
Make sure to leave your thoughts on the game in the comments at the bottom of the page and keep refreshing the page. We'd love to hear from you.
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Kroenkephobe
Sep 13, 2020, 15:36 #117114Layth and the editorial team, I hope this will be taken as positive criticism. After getting the new season underway, and in such emphatic style, I would have thought you'd have issued a match report by now. Most of us saw the game of course, but based on past experience on this site, the reports played a critical part in stimulating debate among fans. I'd much rather read someone's take on the game than hearing about betting odds or reading a minute by minute account which is about as illuminating as the ones on the official website or the dreaded BBC. Moreover, there is an important subtext to what happened yesterday which was that apparently disturbing incident involving Eddie N and our Falangist friend Ceballos. Not wishing to sound harsh, and it may well be down to a glitch but I think the Gooner's popularity might dwindle if you don't publish timely post match reports. Anyhoo, in a nutshell Arsenal lite (ffc) were thoroughly seen off by Arteta's happy band of Arsenal middleweights. Very pleasing and there's clearly more to come.
What a start for Arsenal! Goals from Lacazette, Aubameyang and a debut strike from Gabriel gives the Gunners the perfect opener to the new Premier League season. Thanks for following all the action with our live blog, enjoy the rest of your day and we'll see you soon.
Full-time. Fulham 0-3 Arsenal
86'- Final Arsenal change as Nketiah replaces Lacazette. 0-3
79'- Second change for Arsenal. Ceballos replaces Xhaka, who picked up a knock moments ago. 0-3
78'- OFF THE LINE! Bellerin slips Aubameyang through and he goes round Rodak, but his shot from the angle his headed off the line by Hector. 0-3
75'- First change for Arsenal as the impressive Willian is replaced by Pepe. 0-3
71'- CHANCE! Aubameyang breaks clear down the left and cuts a ball back for Lacazette, but Rodak somehow keeps it out from close range. The ball then breaks for Bellerin inside the area, but it's cleared off the line. 0-3
67'- Substitute Mitrovic turns on the edge of the box and fires a shot straight at Leno. 0-3
57'- GOOOOAAAALLLL ARSENAL! 3-0 and game over as Aubameyang curls home a beauty! The Gunners move it from back to front quickly, Willian floats a lovely crossfield ball to the captain who gets it under control, moves inside and bends his shot into the far corner. Just the start that Arteta would have wanted. 0-3
59'- CLOSE! Chance for Fulham as a clearance breaks to Kamara on the edge of the box, but he drives a low effort just wide of the far post. 0-2
49'- GOOOAALLLL ARSENAL! GABRIEL SCORES ON HIS DEBUT! Willian plays in a corner from the right, his compatriot gets up in front of Hector and nods the ball down into the net. A dream start to life in London for the Brazilian. 0-2
46'- Back underway at Craven Cottage. 0-1
Half-time. Fulham 0-1 Arsenal. After a nervy start, Lacazette put the Gunners ahead with a close-range finish on nine minutes and they have dominated the game since. New boys Willian and Gabriel have been impressive on debut too. Arteta will be pleased with what he's seen so far.
39'- Aubameyang gets a yellow card for a late challenge on Odoi. 0-1
37'- CHANCE! Tierney clips a delightful ball over the top to Aubameyang who brings it down and shoots, but Rodak just about keeps his effort out at the near post. 0-1
27'- POST! Lacazette wins a free-kick right on the edge of the box, Willian takes and the new signing curls his effort onto the base of the post. So close! 0-1
25'- Gabriel has settled nicely after his early nervy moment. He chases Kamara down the left, blocks his pass, holds him off and then wins the ball. Good start from the new boy. 0-1
21'- CHANCE! Arsenal press high and win the ball which breaks for Elneny on the edge of the box. He sees his effort blocked by Ream and then Xhaka smashes the rebound well over. 0-1
13'- The goal as certainly settled Arsenal now, who are seeing most the ball and look comfortable. 0-1
9'- GOOOOAAALLLL ARSENAL! Just as I say the Gunners aren't in the game they take the lead. Aubameyang cuts a cross back for Xhaka who scuffs his shot. It falls for Willian on the edge of the six-yard box, Rodak smothers his efforts but Lacazette is there to turn home. 1-0 to The Arsenal!
8'- Fulham play out nicely and Odoi charges down the right, makes space and shoots from the edge of the box, but Leno makes a comfortable save. Arsenal not really in the game early on here. 0-0
2'- Nervy moment for Arsenal early on as Maitland-Niles plays the ball back to Gabriel who leaves it for Leno, but Kamara gets to the ball and forces the goalkeeper to block. Fulham keep the move alive and Kamara then heads a cross over. Not what Arteta would have wanted to see early on. 0-0
1'- Fulham get the game underway at Craven Cottage. 0-0
Teams are out at Craven Cottage. Kick-off just moments away.
Thoughts on the team? Score prediction? Excited for the new season? Let us know your thoughts ahead of the game in the comments at the bottom of the page.
Today's game will be the 58th meeting between Arsenal and Fulham, with the Gunners getting the better in this fixture with 39 wins and just eight defeats. The sides last met in January 2019 with Arsenal winning 4-1 at the Emirates in the Premier League. The very first game between the two took place on February 6, 1904, as Woolwich Arsenal beat Fulham 3-2 in an FA Cup tie at the Manor Ground.
Fulham subs: Areola, Christie, Le Marchand, Anguissa, Knockaert, Reid, Mitrovic
Fulham team to face Arsenal: Rodak, Hector, Odoi, Kebano, Cairney, Ream, Cavaleiro, Reed, Bryan, Onomah, Kamara
Summer signings Gabriel Magalhaes and Willian make their Arsenal debuts, but William Saliba isn't named in the 18-man squad. Bernd Leno starts in goal with Emi Martinez on the brink of a move away from the Emirates, while Mo Elneny starts in midfield ahead of Dani Ceballos. Alexandre Lacazette leads the line ahead of Eddie Nketiah.
Arsenal subs: Macey, Kolasinac, Ceballos, Willock, Saka, Pepe, Nketiah
Arsenal team to face Fulham: Leno; Holding, Gabriel, Tierney; Bellerin, Elneny, Xhaka, Maitland-Niles; Willian, Lacazette, Aubameyang
Good morning everyone and welcome to the Gooner Fanzine live blog as Arsenal take on newly-promoted Fulham at Craven Cottage in their first game of the 2020/21 Premier League season. Can Mikel Arteta's men get off to the perfect start? Find out here as we bring you all the action.