"This is a huge game for Arsenal" - Chris Sutton predicts result for EPL fixture between Fulham and Arsenal

Chris Sutton has backed Arsenal to bounce back from their shock defeat to West Ham United by beating Fulham on Sunday (December 31).

Mikel Arteta's Gunners were handed their first home defeat of the season as they suffered a 2-0 loss to West Ham. It was a surprising result given the north Londoners' excellent start to the season that has them challenging for the Premier League title.

Arsenal sit second in the league, two points behind leaders Liverpool following their defeat to the Hammers. Arteta's men have won 12 of 19 league games and the Spanish tactician will be eager for a response this weekend.

The Gunners face a Fulham side at Craven Cottage who have proven to be tricky opposition this season. Marco Silva's Cottagers sit 13th, with six wins and 10 defeats in 19 games.

Sutton recalled the visitors' superb past season and compared it to how they've kickstarted the ongoing campaign. The Premier League legend told BBC Sport:

"This is a huge game for Arsenal after their surprise defeat by Crystal Palace."

He added:

"The Gunners are widely considered to be a bit more streetwise than last season, but they have 10 fewer points after 19 games than they did in the the 2022-23 campaign, when they were out in front for so long."

Sutton expects Fulham will make life difficult for Arsenal but he is tipping them to come away from Craven Cottage with all three points:

"Fulham will make it hard, but Arsenal will find a way of winning this one - they really have to. Prediction: 0-1."

The last time Fulham won at home against Arsenal in all competitions was in 2012. The Gunners have since dominated the fixture, winning five games away in the league.

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Sutton namedrops two strikers Arsenal could look to sign in the January transfer window

Gabriel Jesus has struggled for goals.

The Gunners' disappointing defeat to West Ham brought to light the issues that Arteta's side has in attack. They lack a proven goalscorer, with their current top scorer being Bukayo Saka who has eight goals in 25 games across competitions.

The likes of Gabriel Jesus, Martin Odegaard (both seven goals), and Gabriel Martinelli (four goals) have struggled to produce prolific numbers. It's a problem that many expect Arsenal to rectify in January.

Sutton touched on this while giving his prediction for the game against Fulham. He namedropped Brentford's Ivan Toney as an option although voiced concerns over his lack of game time (via the source above):

"Brentford's Ivan Toney has been linked for a while, but he has not played for months because of his suspension. He will have been training, but how much match sharpness does he have?"

Toney, 27, was in excellent form last season, posting 20 goals in 33 league games for Brentford. He's not the only striker Sutton touted as an option:

"If we are looking at the names that are supposedly within their grasp, Bournemouth's Dominic Solanke stands out as the best candidate."

Solanke, 26, has been in red-hot form this season, bagging 12 goals in 18 games for Bournemouth. Either way, it looks as though Arteta may be bolstering his attack to keep his side's title challenge on course.