FORMIssue No. 04
Monday 28 September 2026 · Your week: Arsenal, Fulham, Carlos Alcaraz
Good morning.
Only one of your pieces this week is built around a match its subject actually played, and it is the best of them. Carlos Alcaraz saved his first match point against Taylor Fritz with an ace down the T, then won the deciding tiebreak 13-11. Arsenal and Fulham, meanwhile, are both idle until 10 October.
Joshua Shaw, Editor
01 · International break
Arsenal's quiet week leaves Havertz and Ødegaard hurt
AN INTERNATIONAL BREAK still left Arsenal with two new injury worries. Kai Havertz lasted 30 minutes of Netherlands 1-1 Germany on Thursday, Klopp's first game as Germany coach. A raised boot from Quinten Timber forced him off. He has gone back to Arsenal for assessment on a suspected muscle strain. No timescale has been given, and he is a doubt for Leeds at the Emirates on 10 October.
Martin Ødegaard's problem is more recent. Bernardo Silva caught Ødegaard's left ankle with a late kick in stoppage time of Norway's 2-1 defeat by Portugal in Oslo on Sunday, and was booked. "It doesn't belong on a football pitch," said Ødegaard, who left the stadium limping. He added that he is "betting it'll be fine in the next few days". A scan should follow once the swelling eases. Ødegaard remains with Norway, who play Wales on Thursday and Portugal in Porto on Sunday.
Arsenal played no match all week and still ended it with two senior players hurt.
3 ptsGap to leaders Man City
12Points from five league games
1.58Arsenal xG in Brighton defeat
30 minHavertz's minutes v Netherlands
02 · International break
Fulham wait in 19th as their internationals score
FULHAM HAVE NOT played since the 1-1 draw with Manchester United on 20 September. The Premier League is in its first three-week international break, and Fulham's next fixture is away at Ipswich on 10 October. Álvaro Arbeloa has two points from his first five league games in charge. His side sit 19th, still without a league win and a point below the safety line. The two most recent league games were draws, at Anfield and at home to United.
Shea Charles supplied the best moment of the break. His 99th-minute winner in Georgia gave Northern Ireland their first win in this tier of the Nations League. In the same match his brother Pierce saved a Kvaratskhelia penalty. Oscar Bobb scored the opener in Norway's 3-2 win over Denmark, with Joachim Andersen playing 90 minutes for the beaten side. David Affengruber headed his first Austria goal in a 3-1 win over Kosovo.
Fulham spend the break 19th and winless in the league, with Ipswich away next on 10 October.
2League points from five games
-3League goal difference
c.12Fulham players on international duty
1.57Fulham xG against United
03 · Laver Cup · The O2
Alcaraz saves two match points to beat Fritz
TWO MATCH POINTS were not enough for Taylor Fritz at The O2 on Saturday. Alcaraz beat him 6-3, 4-6, 13-11 in the Laver Cup, with a 10-point match tiebreak deciding the third set. He saved the first match point at 9-10 with an ace down the T and the second at 10-11 by defending a Fritz overhead. A drop shot on his own third match point finished it. That avenged Fritz's win at last year's Laver Cup, the American's only victory over Alcaraz.
On Friday night, Alcaraz and Jakub Mensik beat Alexander Bublik and Fritz 6-4, 6-4 in doubles to close the evening session. In that match, Alcaraz came back from 0/40 in his first service game to hold. His win on Saturday pulled Team Europe level at 5-5, and they led 7-5 by the end of the day. He was not needed on Sunday. Alexander Zverev clinched the Laver Cup by beating Learner Tien, and Europe won 13-5 for their sixth title.
I was trying not to let it happen again.
6-1Head to head v Fritz
2/2Laver Cup matches won
1h 50mLength of Fritz match
27-42026 win-loss before Laver Cup
The week ahead
Arsenal return against Leeds United at the Emirates on Saturday 10 October, kick-off 12:30 BST on TNT Sports.
Fulham return on Saturday 10 October at Ipswich Town, Portman Road, kick-off 15:00 BST.
Alcaraz opens his Japan Open defence in Tokyo against Alex Michelsen, with first-round matches running from Wednesday 30 September.