Saka Sparks Arsenal To Victory Over Fulham, Boosting Title Hopes

‎Arsenal secured a vital 2-0 victory against Fulham at the Emirates Stadium, narrowing the gap to Premier League leaders Liverpool.

‎With this win, the Gunners extended an astonishing record, going 32 home league games unbeaten against their West London rivals (W25, D7).

‎Determined Start

‎From the very first whistle, Mikel Arteta’s side showed their intent, pushing forward and applying pressure on Fulham’s defense.

‎Gabriel Martinelli, a lively presence on the left flank, was instrumental in Arsenal’s early attacks. His pace and aggression often unsettled Fulham, although a snapshot from Thomas Partey went high and wide after Martinelli’s promising cutback.

‎However, the Gunners faced an early setback when Brazilian defender Gabriel Magalhães had to leave the pitch on a stretcher, having sustained a suspected hamstring injury.

‎Gabriel’s absence was felt immediately, testing the depth of Arsenal’s squad. Yet, the mood quickly shifted in the stadium when Bukayo Saka, Arsenal’s star winger, began to warm up, making his much-anticipated return to the matchday squad after a lengthy layoff due to injury.

‎Shifting Momentum

‎After a relatively uneventful first half, Arsenal finally broke the deadlock just before halftime.

‎Youngster Ethan Nwaneri, showing great composure, found Mikel Merino, who played as a makeshift striker. Merino’s deflected effort found its way past Fulham’s goalkeeper Bernd Leno.

‎Fulham, on the other hand, struggled to mount any serious threats in the first half, failing to register a single shot on target. Marco Silva’s men looked lackluster and unable to assert themselves, and the halftime whistle breathed life into their chances to regroup and reassess.

‎Second Half

‎The second half began with Arsenal continuing their domination. Martinelli, who had been electric all game, once again cut inside, setting up captain Martin Ødegaard, whose shot unfortunately went high and wide.

‎The Gunners were searching for that second goal to solidify their control, and they didn’t have to wait long.

‎Saka’s introduction 60 minutes into the match was met with roaring applause, and his impact was immediate. Just minutes after stepping onto the pitch, he found the back of the net, doubling Arsenal’s lead.

‎After a sublime cross from Merino, Martinelli flicked the ball towards Saka, who was unmarked at the far post and nodded home with precision. It was a fairy tale moment for Saka, marking his return with a crucial contribution and bringing back fond memories of a bright, exciting season gone by.

‎Fulham’s Struggle

‎Despite being two goals behind, Fulham attempted to respond. Silva made tactical changes, bringing on Rodrigo Muniz, who nearly made an instant impact by heading a well-placed cross wide from six yards out.

‎Fulham pulled a goal back in stoppage time through Muniz, but it was too little too late as Arsenal claimed a first H2H victory in four meetings.

‎ Following their FA Cup exit on the weekend, Fulham’s remaining goal is their pursuit of a place in Europe, with the West Londoners sitting two points behind sixth-placed Newcastle United.