Mikel Arteta insists Arsenal must "earn the right" to beat Fulham in the Premier League London derby at Craven Cottage.
The Gunners, who are third in the table and only behind Chelsea on goal difference, have momentum following their 2-0 victory over Manchester United on Wednesday, stretching their winning streak across all competitions to four matches.
Arsenal have bounced back brilliantly after a run of three matches without victory, though they were beaten 2-1 by Fulham in this fixture last season.
And Arteta is wary of the Cottagers as a result.
"We want to have the right to win games," the Spaniard said following the win over United. "If we perform the way we perform right now, we are going to win a lot of games.
"But now, it is about Fulham, we have to go there, and we know the experience of last season.
"We're going to have to prepare really well to earn the right to win there and continue to do that. The rest, we don't know.
"The will to win is there. We have won four in a row, but it doesn't matter. We have to go to Fulham now and be better than them to try to win the game.
"It's a crazy schedule, we're going to need everybody and, mentally, be very strong because you're going to have to go through those moments."
Fulham returned to winning ways on Thursday with a 3-1 victory over Brighton lifting them to sixth place.
Alex Iwobi scored a brace against the Seagulls - only his second double in 267 Premier League appearances - and the former Arsenal midfielder highlighted his desire to get on the scoresheet more often, ahead of facing his former club.
"We wanted to get a win on the board [against Brighton] after our last game against Spurs [1-1 draw]," he said. "[There is] no better place to do it than at our place.
"I should be getting more goals, but it was good to get them for the team.
"We see the ability [of the team] in training. This performance [against Brighton] gives us a boost going into Arsenal, who are on a good run at the moment."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Fulham - Harry Wilson
The Wales international netted just once in his first 21 Premier League London derby appearances for Fulham.
However, he has scored three goals in his last three such matches, and he is one the Gunners have to keep an eye on.
Arsenal - Bukayo Saka
Saka has been involved in 14 goals in his last 14 London derby matches in the Premier League (seven goals, seven assists).
The England international's tally of 17 assists in such games is beaten only by Cesc Fabregas (24), Dennis Bergkamp (23) and Frank Lampard (18).
MATCH PREDICTION: ARSENAL WIN
Since losing 2-1 to Fulham in the corresponding match last season, Arsenal have won seven of their last eight Premier League London derbies.
After netting five times at West Ham last weekend, the Gunners have scored five or more goals in five different away matches in all competitions in 2024. They are aiming to become the first English top-flight side to do so six times in a single calendar year.
Arsenal have also found the net in each of their last 18 Premier League showdowns with Fulham, stretching back to a goalless draw in February 2009.
However, Fulham are unbeaten in their last eight league London derbies (W4 D4), their longest such run since a run of nine between February 2000 and September 2001, a streak that was ended by a 3-1 home loss to Arsenal.
Fulham boss Marco Silva has won four of his 10 previous meetings with Arsenal across all competitions (D1 L5) with each victory coming with a different team (Olympiakos, Watford, Everton, Fulham) – he could win back-to-back games against the Gunners for the first time.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Fulham - 18.5%
Arsenal - 61.3%
Draw - 20.2%