Arsenal played like true champions in the first half, sending a strong message that they will not collapse at the business end of the season. A 3-0 victory over Fulham at the Emirates put them six points clear of Manchester City, who have two games in hand. There was no bottling to be seen as Arsenal overwhelmed a woeful Fulham side, hit by an illness in the camp, rarely looking like conceding.
Dominant First Half
Bukayo Saka was back to his sublime best, scoring a fine goal and brilliantly setting up Viktor Gyokeres for a tap-in after twisting Raul Jimenez inside out. Gyokeres headed in just before half-time and could have had a hat-trick in the second half. The Swedish striker also played a clever pass to Saka for his goal and competed well against Fulham's defenders. Leo Trossard and Miles Lewis-Skelly, playing in the Martin Zubimendi role, also stood out.
Arteta's Cautious Approach
Despite the convincing win, fans will wonder if Arteta's decision not to press home the advantage will cost them the title. He pulled off his best attacking players ahead of the Champions League semi-final, and the substitutes failed to create the same intensity. Mikel Arteta said Saka was taken off at half-time for protection, adding: 'He's come back in the most important part of the season. He is fresh, his hunger is fresh. I think he needed a performance like that. We need to ramp up his load but we need to be careful.'
On Gyokeres, Arteta praised his 'position wise, timing wise' play. On Lewis-Skelly, he said: 'Today he really stepped up and had a wonderful performance. Maybe I should have done it earlier, but I have to do things when I think a player is ready. I knew it was a big risk, a player at his age who has never played this position.'
Second Half Lull
Storm clouds loomed over the stadium as fans came for the last daytime home match of the season. The crowd was pumped, and the players responded. But fear was still palpable, and Fulham rallied after a header from Calafiori was ruled offside by VAR. Arsenal survived unscathed, and Saka's goal effectively put the tie to bed. At that point, a rout seemed possible, but the winning recipe was torn up due to the looming semi-final, and the game became disjointed.
Only Trossard and Lewis-Skelly kept up their first-half form throughout. William Saliba had a few dodgy moments, and Ben White had a brief meltdown in the first half. But Calafiori was strong and calm, and David Raya made a typical big save. There was a nervous moment at the end when Fulham had a four-on-three but messed it up.
Eze Shines in Odegaard's Role
Eberechi Eze started in the central attacking role usually held by Martin Odegaard and was much more effective. Eze is brimming with confidence, and the thought of him forming a partnership with Saka is something to look forward to next season. An emotional moment came when Emile Smith Rowe pulled up with what looked like a hamstring injury. He looked inconsolable as he trudged off despite a warm reception and the home support singing his old song. As he was substituted, Eze was taken off for Max Dowman to play in the role Smith Rowe would have loved to keep. It was a painful return for the academy graduate who came through the ranks but could not quite make the top tier.
Dowman Shows Promise
Dowman, who has a swashbuckling, crowd-pleasing style similar to Smith Rowe, had a couple of chances, including a brilliant mazy run that ended with a wayward finish. He takes risks and holds the ball too long for this level of football, where games are won and lost on the quick press. Arsenal have not scored from a corner in an age, but Calafiori crashed a header onto the crossbar late on. Jesus, who came on for Gyokeres, was poor and no longer worthy of the Gunners' bench. He was caught offside three times, and his Arsenal career and massive wages will surely end this season, come what may.
City play Everton on Monday night in what looks like the only realistic chance of them dropping points.
Teams
Arsenal: Raya, Calafiori, Gabriel, Saliba, White (Mosquera 83), Lewis-Skelly, Rice (Zubimendi 64), Trossard, Eze (Dowman 78), Saka (Madueke 46), Gyokeres (Jesus 64). Subs not used: Kepa, Hincapie, Martinelli, Norgaard.
Fulham: Leno, Robinson, Bassey, Andersen, Castagne, Lukic, Reed (Cairney 63), Chukwueze (King 64), Smith Rowe (Kusi-Asare 78), Wilson (Bobb 64), Jimenez (Muniz 73). Subs not used: Cuenca, Diop, Lecomte, Tete.
