Arsenal may fear the worst as training ground video which bodes well for Man City emerges

Arsenal will be cheering on Fulham this weekend when they host Manchester City at Craven Cottage, with Mikel Arteta needing his Premier League title rivals to drop points between now and the end of the season. But the fact the Cottagers have very little left to play for may be a source of concern for the Gunners.

Fulham are 13th in the table, mathematically safe and realistically bound for a bottom-half finish. City, on the other hand, are fighting for a fourth consecutive league title which, if they win all their remaining games, will be theirs.

Despite Arsenal’s scintillating recent form, they are relying on one of City’s three remaining opponents to take at least a point from Pep Guardiola’s side. Fans are therefore willing Fulham to leave blood, sweat and tears on the training pitch this week as they prepare for Saturday’s match.

But a video circulating on social media shows that, at least after their Tuesday morning session, some Fulham players were taking a relaxed approach to the week by flying kites in the London sunshine.

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The footage posted to striker Raul Jimenez’s Instagram story shows the Brazilian trio of Willian, Rodrigo Muniz and Andreas Pereira basking in the heat with kites soaring over Motspur Park. Sarcastically, Jimenez wrote: “Good training guys [laughing emojis].”

Fulham fans responding to the video seemingly hold out little hope of doing Arsenal a favour this weekend, as @sryan__98 wrote on X: “Gotta feel sorry for Arsenal. Not only [are] City gonna win, but goal difference will be clawed back.”

Meanwhile, @SG__FFC posted: “I don’t think there’s a bigger sign of a team being on the beach [than] when our players are flying kites in training [crying emoji]. Arsenal fans it’s so over for you.”

Marco Silva’s side are three matches without a win going into their clash with City, and the last time a top-four side turned up at Craven Cottage, Liverpool ran out convincing 3-1 winners.

If Fulham are unable to get the job done, Arsenal are relying on either their bitter rivals Tottenham spoiling Guardiola’s party, or West Ham producing an unlikely result on the final day of the season.

All the Gunners can do is win their remaining two games, starting with a trip to Manchester United on Sunday. The Red Devils are struggling of late, with Monday’s 4-0 thrashing at Crystal Palace coming after a disappointing draw with Burnley at Old Trafford.

By comparison, Arsenal are fresh from an impressive win over Bournemouth. “[I’m] very excited,” said Arteta after watching his side down the Cherries.

“We have done it for nine and a half months now so it’s two weeks to go. We really want to get it done. We are closer to where we were yesterday and hopefully we can bring that title here.”