Mikel Arteta 'wary' of Alex Iwobi ahead of Fulham vs Arsenal

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta singled out Alex Iwobi for praise ahead of the Gunners's tie against Fulham at Craven's Cottage this weekend. 

The Nigeria international has been one of the standout performers for the Cottagers this season, carrying on his form from last season.

Arteta is well aware of Iwobi's quality from the Nigerian's time as an Arsenal player. The Spaniard lauded Iwobi's talents and his ability to occupy different positions. 

“I always liked him a lot,” he said, per London World. “I always thought that he had tremendous quality, a very special talent, a talent that has the capacity to play in different spaces and positions as well. I’m really happy to see him playing at that level.”

Arsenal have struggled in this tie recently. They have only won one of their last four games against Fulham, with two ending in a draw. They failed to beat them in the 2023/24 season, and last campaign a contentious VAR call denied them maximum points at Craven's Cottage.

Heading back to the stadium in West London, Arteta praised the qualities of Marco Silva’s team, highlighting previous poor results against them. 

“It’s going to be a big challenge, which we experienced last year when we lost five points against them. I have been very complimentary about them, the coach and what they do, so it’s always a really tough place to go.”