A VIKTOR GYOKERES double helped extend Arsenal’s lead at the top of the Premier League table to six points. Comeback captain Bukayo Saka also scored as Mikel Arteta’s side finally played like they believe they can be champions.
Second-placed Manchester City go to Everton on Monday night for their first of their two matches in hand also need to make up a four goals in goal difference.
Boring, nervous Arsenal? Not this time – this was a party from start to finish in north London.
A sudden shower punctuated the humidity of this warm May Saturday night and made for a slippery surface. It might have played a role in Saka’s ability to sit down Raul Jimenez with a stop-start run down the right wing before he drilled in an inch perfect low cross for Gyokeres to stab into the back of the net from the six yard line after only ten minutes.
Goal number 20 for the season from the underrated Swedish striker, who has been one of the club’s better players since the turn of the year. He might not have started had Kai Havertz been fit.
Arteta’s side made a similar start when they took an early lead in their narrow win over Newcastle United here last Saturday night. This time, however, they seemed massively motivated to score again and remove any potential added anxiety.
Gyokeres was denied a second goal by a smart save from the feet of former Arsenal keeper Bernd Leno, quickly making amends for spilling a cross under pressure from Gabriel. Arsenal were relentless, however, and just moments later Riccardo Calafiori had the ball in the back of the net with a header, which was then ruled out for offside by the VAR.
With Fulham struggling to get out of their own half, Arsenal were so much more ambitious and creative than the previous weekend. Arteta had given Myles Lewis-Skelly, normally a left back, a big opportunity by giving him a first-ever Premier League start in midfield alongside Declan Rice. The teenage England international made the most of a rare opportunity.
Fulham manager Marco Silva had to contend with a virus in his camp and made two changes from his side that beat Aston Villa last time out. Harrison Reed made his first start in over two years and lifelong Arsenal fan Antonee Robinson come into the starting line-up at left back.
Arsenal’s long overdue second goal came after 40 minutes. Gyokeres did very well to chase down a long through ball and delay play for Saka to catch him up. And he repaid the earlier assist by playing in his comeback teammate to make a tidy finish inside Leno’s near post.
Gyokeres then as good as finished off the match with a superbly timed header from a Leandro Trossard cross on the stroke of half-time.
Arteta was confident enough to withdraw Saka for the start of the second half and rest him up for Tuesday’s Champions League second leg at home to Atletico Madrid. Noni Madueke came on as a like-for-like replacement.
Fulham, who came here with genuine hopes of a first ever away win in a run that stretches back over 120 years at Arsenal, offered little hope to their supporters dre4aming of European qualification.
They were better as Arsenal stepped off the gas a bit but the next goal should have marked a Gyokeres hat-trick but the Swedish striker was once again denied by Leno. Calafiori also hit the cross bar.
Silva reacted by making a triple substitution with half an hour to go. Arteta quickly made two more changes of his own and was able to rest Rice and the impressive Ebere Eze too.
Arsenal: Raya 7, White 6 (Mosquera 83), Saliba 7, Gabriel 7, Calafiori 6, Rice 8 (Zubimendi 64) , Lewis-Skelly 7, Eze 8 (Dowman 78), Trossard 7, Saka 8 (Madueke 46), Gyokeres 8 (Jesus 64). Subs: Arrizabalaga, Hincapie, Martinelli, Norgaard.
Fulham: Leno 6, Castagne 6, Andersen 6, Bassey 6, Robinson 6, Reed 5 (Cairney 63), Lukic 5, Smith Rowe 6 (Kusi-Asare 78), Wilson 5 (Bobb 64), Chukwueze 5 (King 64), Jimenez 5 (Muniz, 73). Subs: Lecomte, Tete, Cuenca, Diop
Ref: Jarred Gillett 5
Att: 60,196