Fulham will be without five players for Arsenal’s visit to Craven Cottage on Sunday, due to injuries, ineligibility, and suspension.

LONDON, ENGLAND: Joao Palhinha of Fulham is challenged by Kyle Walker-Peters of Southampton during the Premier League match between Fulham FC and Southampton FC at Craven Cottage on December 31, 2022. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND: Joao Palhinha of Fulham is challenged by Kyle Walker-Peters of Southampton during the Premier League match between Fulham FC and Southampton FC at Craven Cottage on December 31, 2022. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Arsenal will likely be without Mohamed Elneny, Gabriel Jesus, Eddie Nketiah, and Leandro Trossard against Fulham this weekend, with Kieran Tierney and Martin Odegaard also minor doubts after their recent illnesses.

But Fulham have problems of their own, with Tom Cairney, Layvin Kurzawa, Neeskens Kebano, Joao Palhinha, and Cedric Soares all set to miss the match.

Cairney, Kurzawa, and Kebano are all injured, whilst Palhinha is suspended after he picked up his 10th yellow card of the season in their Premier League game against Wolves.

10 yellow cards before the 32nd game of the season means an automatic two-game ban, which only applies to Premier League games.

So Palhinha was eligible to play and score in the FA Cup against Leeds, but he missed Fulham’s 3-2 defeat to Brentford and will now miss the Arsenal game as well.

As for Cedric, he can’t play against his parent club, so he’ll also miss out.

Fulham's Portuguese defender Cedric Soares controls the ball during the English FA Cup fifth-round football match between Fulham and Leeds United at Craven Cottage in Fulham, west London on February 28, 2023. (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)
Fulham’s Portuguese defender Cedric Soares controls the ball during the English FA Cup fifth-round football match between Fulham and Leeds United at Craven Cottage in Fulham, west London on February 28, 2023. (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)

Given that Cedric didn’t start against Brentford, and the other four players were already absent for that match, Fulham will be able to name the same starting lineup as last week if they wish.

Fulham lineup vs Brentford: Leno, Tete, Diop, Ream, Robinson, Reed, Lukic, Pereira, Willian, Solomon, Mitrovic

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