Four Arsenal stars expected to miss Fulham clash

The Gunners look to bounce back after a frustrating defeat against West Ham.

Following a 2-0 loss to West Ham, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal is set to face further challenges as they prepare for a clash with Fulham at Craven Cottage this weekend.

The Gunners were left reeling from a controversial goal by Thomas Soucek, coupled with a header from former Arsenal defender Konstantinos Mavropanos, resulting in a defeat that denied them a return to the top of the Premier League table.

Looking ahead to the Fulham encounter, Arteta faces the prospect of missing four key players. Midfielder Thomas Partey, who is eyeing fitness for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations duty with Ghana, and full-back Takehiro Tomiyasu, aiming to regain full fitness for Japan’s Asia Cup campaign, are doubtful for the match. Arteta confirmed their absence, stating, “We’re not going to have those two, so I think we’re going to have five out, but we have lots of other players willing to play.”

While there is hope for Partey and Tomiyasu to recover before the continental tournaments, long-term concerns persist for Fabio Vieira and Jurrien Timber. Vieira, undergoing surgery for a groin issue, targets a potential return in late January, while Timber, recovering from a knee injury suffered on his debut, may be back between March and May.