During this soccer season, Doc’s Sports Service has teamed up with Raphael Esparza (Vegas Sports Informer) and Strike Point Sports, two of the top soccer handicappers, to provide weekly free soccer picks for English Premier League, MLS and Champions League matches. This week, Esparza has a free play on the total in the Arsenal vs. Fulham match.

Arsenal will welcome Fulham into Emirates Stadium on Saturday for a London derby and will be looking to add an easy three points to their current league total of 48 points. Arsenal will be looking to expand their lead at the top of the table, while Fulham will be desperate to stay out of the relegation zone as they currently sit just one point clear from the bottom three.

Arsenal vs. Fulham Betting Story Lines
The Gunners have won their previous four matches and have already been victorious 15 times this year in the Premier League. Arsene Wenger’s squad is perched atop the Premier League table in the second half of the season despite many critics still doubting their validity as title contenders.

Fulham will be limping into the match following a 1-4 loss against Sunderland, one of just four teams to sit below them in the standings, and hoping to help play spoiler in Arsenal’s title aspirations. Since replacing manager Martin Jol on Dec. 1, Rene Meulensteen has led his squad to just two victories in eight League matches. However, the Cottagers went some way to amending their miserable home defeat against Sunderland by winning their midweek FA Cup third-round replay against Norwich City, cruising to a comfortable 3-0 win.

Arsenal vs. Fulham Betting Odds and Trends
In three-way wagering Arsenal are heavy favorites at -500, while Fulham money line is priced at +1400, and the draw is +550. On the goal line, Arsenal (-2) is priced +115 and Fulham (+2) is at -150. The total of 3.5 has the ‘over’ at +120, while the ‘under’ is juiced at -155.

It is not a potent offense of Arsenal setting this total, it is Fulham’s embarrassing defensive record. Fulham have conceded 46 goals in 21 matches this year, giving them the league’s worst goal differential of -24. In 10 away matches, Fulham have conceded 24 goals while scoring only six. In away matches this year, Fulham have averaged 0.80 goals for and a goals-against average of 2.40, for a total of 3.20 average goals a game.  Arsenal has averaged just 2.29 goals per game this year, 2.30 at home and just 2.20 in their last five matches at the Emirates. In the last five meetings between these two sides, total goals have averaged 3.2.

Take Arsenal/Fulham UNDER 3.5 (-155) (8:30 a.m., Sunday, Dec. 22)
This will be a nearly impossible match for Fulham to win, but it is a derby and stranger things have happened. Arsenal, regardless of the opponent, has not beaten a team by more than two at home since beating Norwich 4-1 on Oct. 19. What Arsenal has done, though, is show an ability to produce clean sheets against lesser opponents at the Emirates. Arsenal should cruise to an easy win while holding Fulham off the score sheet, making the under 3.5 an attractive play.