Arsenal Stroll Past Fulham To Regain Five-Point Lead Over City
With 11 league games left, the north Londoners have the title in their sights
Arsenal moved five points clear at the top of the Premier League with a stylish 3-0 win at Fulham on Sunday.
Mikel Arteta’s side had seen second placed Manchester City close the gap with victory at Crystal Palace on Saturday. The Gunners responded with the kind of composed display that has been the hallmark of their unexpected title charge.
First-half goals from Gabriel Magalhaes, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard — all set up by the influential Leandro Trossard — put Arsenal on course for a fifth consecutive league win.
With 11 league games left, the north Londoners have the title in their sights.
Since being knocked out of pole position after a defeat against City, which came during a run of four games without a win, Arsenal have shown the mettle of potential champions with a strong response to that wobble.
It was Arsenal’s 11th victory from 14 away league matches this season, underlining the durability and maturity that has them in position to win the title for the first time since Arsene Wenger’s ‘Invincibles’ in 2004.
There was more good news for Arsenal in the last 14 minutes as Brazil forward Gabriel Jesus made his first appearance since injuring his knee at last year’s World Cup.
With legendary Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger watching from the stands, the Gunners ensured their celebrity fan got satisfaction from his trip to Craven Cottage.
Gabriel put Arsenal ahead after 21 minutes as the Brazilian centre-back rose above three Fulham defenders to meet Trossard’s corner with a powerful close-range header.
Arsenal were rampant and they struck again with another aerial raid in the 26th minute.
Trossard was the provider once more, teasing his way down the left flank before lofting a cross towards Martinelli, who easily out-jumped Antonee Robinson to head home from close-range.
The Brazilian forward’s fifth goal in his last six appearances took him to 12 in all competitions, making him Arsenal’s leading scorer this term.
Odegaard put the result beyond doubt in the final seconds of the first half as Arsenal benefitted from more abject Fulham defending.
Producing his third assist of the afternoon, Trossard’s cross reached Odegaard in the Fulham area and the midfielder, granted far too much space, controlled on his thigh and set himself for a fierce strike that fizzed past Bernd Leno.
AFP
