Zubimendi participated extensively during the recent international break, contributing significantly when Spain secured a 4-0 victory over Bulgaria, with his Arsenal teammate Mikel Merino netting two goals to help La Roja in their quest for 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification.
Arteta addressed Zubimendi’s absence during a pre-match interview, with details shared on Fabrizio Romano’s official X handle. He stated:
Martin Zubimendi will be available this weekend, confirms Mikel Arteta.
He was absent today because he played two games again, his load has been really high recently and he needed an extra day… but he’s available.
On Saturday, Arsenal will compete against Fulham, where former player Alex Iwobi is set to appear. Iwobi is approaching his 300th Premier League match, a milestone that will establish him as the player with the most appearances in the league for Nigeria’s national team.
This milestone is significant for Iwobi as he joins the ranks of esteemed Nigerian players such as his uncle Austin Jay Jay Okocha, Kanu Nwankwo, Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Joseph Yobo, Obafemi Martins, Osaze Odemwingie, among others, who have made their mark in this prestigious league.
At present, Arsenal leads the Premier League standings with 16 points after seven matches. In contrast, Fulham is positioned 14th with eight points from the same number of games this season.
