Here we go boys and girls – match day eight and the incentive is obvious and there for all to see: Top of the league by five points if we win away at Fulham.

That hurdle is by no means an easy one to overcome however. indeed, we’ve failed to do so on our last two attempts and it is that recent history that will give Marcos Silva and Fulham fans hope of a bit of an upset today. They scored early last season and tucked in to a deep block which we struggled to break down. That was the problem we had last season with a lot of teams and Fulham certainly profited from it, as they hung on for a draw and we dropped further behind Liverpool on their way to the title.

If this Arsenal team want to win the title that can’t happen today. Today is a game in which you have to show your credentials by going to a place at which you have struggled two years in a row and win. Just like last weekend against West Ham, just like the week before against Newcastle and just like week one away to Manchester United. Mikel Arteta needs to set his charges up for victory and they need to be on it from the start, because I think Fulham will play with a conservative low block this evening, because they have their injury problems that Silva admitted to yesterday. Lukic is out for a couple of weeks – a big blow to them – but they are also missing Muniz up top, Chukwueze on the flanks, Tete, as well as Robinson at left back. That is a positive for us in particular with Robinson, because I’ve always been impressed with him every time he’s played. It means that Sessengnon will likely deputise at left back – probably in a wing-back role – which will be interesting if he is isolated against Saka or if he ventures forward and leaves space for our main man to run in to. If he does, that’s where we have to be looking for our success, because Saka was on the scoresheet last week with a penalty and also scored for England last week too. It feels as though Saka is starting to power up and given what the ambitions are of this Arsenal team, that’s what you need to see all over the pitch.

Arteta has some selection decisions to make elsewhere though. Firstly, he needs to look at who he wants to deploy in midfield and with Zubimendi missing training on Thursday for rest, I think he’ll come in and anchor our midfield. Arteta confirmed yesterday in his press conference that it was to manage his load (making him sit out training) and I think that means he intends to get him on the pitch against the Cottagers. But who will play in the middle of the park with him? I suspect he’ll go with rice, but I hope that means that Merino isn’t preferred alongside Dec, because let’s be honest and admit that as a midfield trio it doesn’t quite have the dynamism of other combinations we have. In that trio, if you’re going with Zubi and rice, I think you need one of Nwaneri and Eze. I think Arteta might go with experience over all and that Eze will be asked to play in that right eight role, but if he decides to stick to the original plan from the summer and give Nwaneri the nod, I’d be good with that too.

That option also doesn’t have to mean Eze doesn’t start. It’s the same with Merino. Just because I say I don’t want him in a midfield with Rice and Zubimendi, doesn’t mean I’d be unhappy with him getting a starting spot as our central striker, for example. I don’t think it’ll happen and I think Arteta will go with Big Vik up top, but given Merino’s goalscoring form for Spain and the fact he already opened his account against Newcastle, you can’t fully rule it out. Likewise with Eze who, whilst playing centrally more recently, is an option on the left flank I think. But I do think on the left it has to be either Eze or Trossard. If Fulham are going to go with a back three and wing backs, sit in a low block and look to counter us, then we need those lock pickers I keep banging on about. That’s not really Martinelli I don’t think. So for me I’d have either Ebs or Leo – both of whom scored for their respective international teams this week – on the left flank.

The great news is that we have options. We have a selection of different styles that can be deployed and that’s going to make it more difficult for Silva to second guess our approach. Heck, if we watch Arsenal all the time and even we don’t know who is going to line up, then I’m thinking that Fulham and their analysts will have found it difficult this week too.

I do think with the way that Silva plays, we have an opportunity for Gyokeres to get on the scoresheet today, if they play with a back four, that is. Silva has always preferred a 4-2-3-1 traditionally and he could do that today, which means that if Fulham are going to be true to their normal style, he’s going to split his centre halves at times when in possession and leave space for turnovers and Gyokeres to run in behind. That’s if they don’t low block us though, which might also be game state. If we score first, it opens the game up, but if we get a repeat of last year, the Swede could find it difficult to find space.

It’s going to be tough, Fulham will create chances, but if we’ve got our defensive set up on its game, you’d have to fancy us, especially with the injuries they have. We just need to translate what I think will be a lot of possession in to goals.

Catch you all tomorrow for a de-brief.