Mikel Arteta’s Premier League table-toppers swept Fulham aside with a brace from Gyokeres sandwiched by Saka’s 80th goal for the club
Gyokeres grabs bustling brace as Gunners go six clear of City at the top of the Premier League table
Mikel Arteta’s Premier League table-toppers swept Fulham aside with a brace from Gyokeres sandwiched by Saka’s 80th goal for the club
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Arsenal 3-0 Fulham: Report by Layth Yousif for the Morning Star newspaper
A brace from bustling Viktor Gyokeres sandwiched by Bukayo Saka’s effort sealed victory over Fulham, as Arsenal moved six points clear of Manchester City.
The Gunners dominated from first until last against Marco Silva’s underwhelming Cottagers in front of jubilant fans in north London on Saturday, with Gyokeres grabbing his 20th and 21st goals of an increasingly productive season. While Saka - who returned to Arsenal’s starting line-up for the first time since defeat to Manchester City in the League Cup final - scored his 80th career goal for the club he has played for since he was six years old, in his first game since November 2024 that he scored and assisted in.
On the back of a busy week following Arsenal’s creditable 1-1 draw at Atletico Madrid in the Spanish capital in midweek, a visibly delighted Mikel Arteta said after the match: “I’m very happy with the team performance, and the individual performances within that performance.
“We knew how difficult it was going to be, especially coming back from Madrid so late on Thursday afternoon and the energy that we spent in that game.”
Arteta went onto praise Gyokeres, saying:*“He had a great performance,*” adding:“In every attacking action he was involved, scored two great goals, position-wise, timing-wise as well, something that we’ve been working on. It’s going to give him a big boost of energy and confidence to the team as well.”
The Arsenal manager also went on to hail a fit again Saka. Arteta said:“He’s come back in the most important period of the season and now he’s fresh, his mind is fresh, his hunger is at the highest possible height, and I think he needed a performance like that to impact the team, so that’s a big platform for Tuesday.”
The Hale End academy graduate captained the side in the absence of Martin Odegaard, whose injury woes continued after failing to make squad after being substituted against Atletico. With Saka’s introduction for Noni Madueke was one of five changes Arteta made from 1-1 draw in Spain in midweek.
A rare rest for Martin Zubimendi opened the door for Myles Lewis-Skelly to make his first senior start in midfield, while Riccardo Calafiori, Leandro Trossard and Eberechi Eze were also included. While Gabriel Martinelli and Piero Hincapie also dropped to the bench along with Madueke and Zubimendi. Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber missed out completely
While Lewis-Skelly was known as a deep-lying midfielder during his time at the Arsenal academy, which included a starring run as defensive midfielder during the young guns run to the 2023 FA Youth Cup final that also featured a last-gasp 120th minute winner against Manchester City U18s in the tournament’s semi-final at the Emirates, the now 19-year-old England international shone in his new first team role.
Arteta was impressed with the teenager, saying:“He fully deserves it. I’ve been tough on him. He had a spectacular season last year when he jumped into the first team. He had some difficult moments after that, but he stayed very humble, very focused, very aligned with what we wanted to do, and I knew he was ready.
“He’s been showing in training every day the opportunities that he had to play. He’s done it and today he really stepped up, and I thought he had an incredible performance.”
Emile Smith Rowe started against his former club for Fulham, as Marco Silva made two changes from the Cottagers 1-0 win over Aston Villa. While Harrison Reed was drafted in for Sander Berge in midfield, with Antonee Robinson replacing the injured Ryan Sessegnon at full-back. Sander Berge was not in the Fulham squad due to illness.
Alex Iwobi, another former Arsenal player, remained absent due to injury.
In front of a lively Gunners crowd, Leo Trossard fired wide after only 120 seconds in front of a vociferous bank holiday crowd in N5. It was a sign of things to follow, as Gyokeres put Arsenal 1-0 ahead after only nine minutes, following excellent work by captain Saka.
As the rain started to fall in north London after a gloriously sunny morning, Arsenal nearly doubled their lead on 25 minutes, but former Gunner Bernd Leno saved from Gyokeres, before Saka fired wide.
Arteta’s side thought they had made it two when Calafiori had the ball in the net moments later, prior to VAR disallowing for offside. The moment made notable when former Gunner Robert Pires was seen joyously celebrating the ‘goal’ before it was chalked off - proving the adage ‘once a Gooner, always a Gooner.’
As the clock ticked towards half time, Trossard tested Leno with a long-range effort that the Fulham keeper gathered safely.
Five minutes before the break Saka doubled the Gunners lead at a raucous Emirates, with his 80th goal for the club.
Eze nearly made it three moments with a low, curling short that flew narrowly past the far post, but the home side’s dominance was to tell four minutes into added time before the break, when Gyokeres grabbed his second of the match, and his 21st overall of an increasingly productive season, to make it 3-0.
Speaking after the match, Fulham boss Silva reflected, saying:“We made their life too easy,” adding:“we were not at the level for this type of game.
“We expected Arsenal to start the way they did. We wanted to start strong,” adding: “we were not at the level…the first half was a big frustration…”
With the game essentially won against a surprisingly underwhelming Fulham side still in contention for a European place, Arteta switched Saka for Madueke at the interval, with one eye already on Tuesday’s winner takes all Champions League clash against Atletico.
As the second half wore on the Gunners boss also had the luxury of switching Rice for Zubimendi, Gabriel Jesus for Gyokeres, and to further delight, 16-year-old Max Dowman for Eze.
Dowman’s quick feet nearly created a fourth goal. This correspondent saw the precocious teen dance around the Bayern Munich U19s during the Arsenal academy’s 5-2 UEFA Youth League victory at Meadow Park back in November, and Saturday’s mesmerising move here had echoes of the exciting build-up to that memorable goal.
There was still time for White to be hooked for Cristhian Mosquera as the Gunners saw the game out in front of a euphoric crowd in N5.
Now all eyes move to Tuesday evening, and the Gunners crucial second leg semi-final clash against Simone’s Atleti. It promises to be some night.
No wonder Arteta said:“We keep the dream alive, that’s what these guys have done.”
Layth’s Take Substack’s from a busy week:
Letter from Spain: Arsenal, Absinthe, Art, Tear Gas, Tapas and Truncheons
My eyes started to sting and throat choked as baton-wielding riot police fired rubber bullets and tear gas before Atletico Madrid vs Arsenal Champions League clash
Getcha Gooner: New Print Issue Out Today At Arsenal vs Fulham - A message about our new print issue and next season
And my Morning Star report from the Metropolitano
Gyokeres goal helps Gunners draw on night of high drama at Metropolitano
Layth’s Take is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.