Arsenal beat Fulham 3-0 in the Premier League as Viktor Gyokeres scored twice and Bukayo Saka helped Mikel Arteta’s side move six points clear of Manchester City.
Viktor Gyokeres scored twice, either side of a Bukayo Saka goal, as Mikel Arteta’s side delivered the kind of result they needed between the two legs of their Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid. Manchester City still have games in hand, but Arsenal did their part by putting the pressure back on the champions.
Arteta made five changes from the side that drew 1-1 in Madrid, with Riccardo Calafiori, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Eberechi Eze, Saka and Leandro Trossard all coming in. Lewis-Skelly’s selection was particularly notable, with the teenager starting in midfield rather than in his more familiar left-back role. Martin Odegaard was absent from the matchday squad, while Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber were also unavailable.
Fulham started with purpose, and Samuel Chukwueze gave an early warning when he beat Ben White before Rice cleared his low cross at the near post. Arsenal responded quickly, with Lewis-Skelly making a lively start in midfield and Trossard dragging an early effort wide.
The breakthrough came in the ninth minute. Saka created it brilliantly on the right, working space before delivering a low ball across the six-yard area. Gyokeres got across his marker and finished from close range to give Arsenal an early lead.
From there, Arsenal settled into control. Trossard shot wide from distance, Eze had an effort blocked, and David Raya even had to race high up the pitch to halt a Fulham break. The hosts then nearly doubled their lead from a set piece, with Bernd Leno reacting well after Gabriel met Saka’s dangerous corner.
Arsenal thought they had made it 2-0 just before the half-hour when Calafiori headed in from Trossard’s chipped cross, but VAR ruled the goal out for offside. It did not change the pattern of the half for long.
Saka doubled the lead in the 40th minute, capping a strong first-half display on his return to the starting XI. Arsenal then struck again in first-half stoppage time. Trossard worked well down the left and stood up a cross for Gyokeres, who looped a clever header beyond Leno to make it 3-0 before the interval.
Arteta used the scoreline to manage minutes after the break, replacing Saka with Noni Madueke at half-time. With Atletico Madrid due at the Emirates on Tuesday for the second leg of the Champions League semi-final, the second half became as much about protecting legs as adding to the scoreline.
Gyokeres still had the chance to complete his hat-trick when Arsenal broke after Harry Wilson lost possession, but Leno denied him one-on-one. Fulham offered more after the interval, with Raul Jimenez unable to reach Timothy Castagne’s near-post flick and Raya later producing a strong reaction save from Castagne’s powerful effort after a set piece.
Rice and Gyokeres were withdrawn midway through the second half, with Gabriel Jesus and Martin Zubimendi introduced, as Arteta continued to manage the workload of key players before Tuesday’s European tie. Jesus then had a chance after being found by Madueke but could not sort his feet out in time. Max Dowman was also given minutes late on, while Christian Mosquera replaced White in the closing stages.
For Arsenal, this was exactly the kind of afternoon required. The damage was done before half-time, key players were managed after the break, and another clean sheet strengthened their title push. Attention will now return to Atletico, but Arsenal head into that game having kept the pressure firmly on City.