Marco Silva names four Arsenal players who can "punish any team in the country"

30 December 2023 , 12:38

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Marco Silva names four Arsenal players who can "punish any team in the country"

Marco Silva believes Arsenal have a quartet of attacking stars - Gabriel Martinelli among them - that "can punish any team in this country" as he looks to thwart them once again with Fulham.

The Cottagers showed real character to claim a draw at the Emirates earlier this year and are now preparing to host the Gunners. Arsenal head to Craven Cottage following a surprise loss against West Ham but Silva is aware of the quality possessed by the north Londoners.

Mikel Arteta is not short of attacking talent with the Fulham boss namedropping four names whom he believes can cause any defence problems. Playmaker Martin Odegaard and winger Bukayo Saka were among them but called on his side to showcase their quality when they get the opportunity.

He said: “They are a top side, no doubt. Their defensive organisation is really good and with their positional attack it means they can perform at the highest level. They have the capacity to push a team back really low and it is difficult to press them really high because when they beat the pressure they are a tough team to face.

“(Oleksandr) Zinchenko gives them quality with an extra man in the middle and the likes of (Gabriel) Martinelli, (Bukayo) Saka, (Martin) Odegaard and (Kai) Havertz are a threat and can punish any team in this country. We need to be well organised and stick together in certain moments. They are pressing us, putting us under pressure in moments and when we have the ball we have to express ourselves as well.”

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Arsenal's loss last time out meant they missed the chance to go back to the top of the table. It was their third reverse of the campaign and, should results go against them, they could find themselves down in fourth by New Year's Eve such is the competitiveness in the top flight.

Arsenal have an impressive amount of attacking talent available to them (David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Arteta though was keen to focus on what they can achieve: "We can be second as well, and winning we can be first so we have to do what we can control. There’s no time to look at other teams, you see how difficult it is for other teams yesterday and today and it’s going to continue to be like that because the level of the league is incredible."

Fulham have been well beaten in their last three outings, conceding eight without scoring. Prior to that they'd shown how free scoring they could be and will hope to see that form return when they welcome Arsenal to west London.

Samuel Meade