Arteta: We’re Playing to Win the Premier League vs Fulham on Saturday

Arteta shifts focus back to League after Atletico draw, faces Fulham test

Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber will miss Arsenal’s Fulham clash, Arteta confirmed, with Havertz potentially returning for the Atletico second leg.

Arsenal aim to end a 20-year title drought dating back to the Invincibles as they face Fulham at home on Saturday...

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta wants his squad to shift focus back to the Premier League title race ahead of Saturday’s home game against Fulham, following a 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.  

A performance full of character 💪

Watch highlights from our first-leg draw with Atletico de Madrid 📺 pic.twitter.com/3ft5N3N48R

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) April 30, 2026

With the season in its closing stages, Arteta’s side are pushing to end a 20-year wait for the title, trying to recapture the success of the unbeaten ‘Invincibles’ team from 2003/04.

“Focus on Fulham. And hunger. Hunger to play, hunger to compete, hunger to win, hunger to be closer to achieving our dream,” ‌the Spanish coach told reporters on Friday.

“We ⁠are playing to win the ‌Premier League. It's exactly where we wanted to be. Four games to go. It's game two. Ready to go.”

Arsenal spent most of the season on top, but dropped points have let Manchester City cut the lead, with Pep Guardiola’s team building momentum through a run of late wins.

Arsenal sit three points ahead of second-placed City, who also hold a game in hand.

"We have only four games to play now, and ‌everything is at stake, so it doesn't get better than that,” Arteta said.

The Spaniard confirmed that attacker Kai Havertz and centre-back Jurrien Timber will both miss the match against Fulham.

Havertz has been out since picking up an injury against Newcastle United last weekend, and Timber has been sidelined since March.

Mikel Arteta has provided a fitness update on Odegaard, Havertz and Timber 👇

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) May 1, 2026

Arteta also said Havertz could return for the second leg against Atletico.

“He's (Havertz) been a huge miss. We're ‌talking about one of the most important attacking players that we have, and he's been out for seven or ‌eight months,” Arteta said.

“He cannot do this game, but hopefully for Atletico, he will be available. He is pushing every boundary to achieve that.”

Fulham are 10th on 48 points, two behind 6th-place Brighton, one behind Bournemouth, and level with Chelsea and Brentford as the race for European spots heats up.

We battle on ✊ pic.twitter.com/b6O75qXCDw

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) May 1, 2026