Arsenal go eight points clear at the top of the table
EIGHT CLEAR: Arsenal go eight points clear with ten games to go. Pic:Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
THE stars and planets are aligning for Mikel Arteta in the wake of his 100th win of his short managerial reign at Arsenal. The Spanish coach admitted he might even be tempted to join in with the jubilant Arsenal supporters who dared to sing 'we're gonna win the League' for the first time this season as they blew away their London rivals with three first half goals.
Victory at home to struggling Crystal Palace this Sunday and they will go into the international break at the end of the month with a healthy eight-point lead over defending champions Manchester City and just ten games to go.
To cap it all Arsenal's attacking talisman Gabriel Jesus played for the first time this year following a December knee operation. The Brazil forward and Arsenal boss joked with each other and hugged long and hard at the final whistle as the travelling fans chanted for both of them.
“He was so happy, Arteta revealed afterwards. “He put a lot into the last few months and all the staff had spent hours together to try to fulfil all his needs. He wanted more and more and more, he was very willing to get back. To see him there with a smile on his face was a joy, I was really happy for him.
“It is a big boost for the whole club. We didn’t know if it was the right game to play. He said to me a few days ago ‘I’m still missing something.’ On Saturday I looked in his eyes and he said ‘I’m ready’. I said ‘OK!’ So then we had the opportunity to throw him in. It’s that first step to give him the big boost. He looks free, he looks ready and straight away he generated those two big chances. It’s great to have him back.”
Would you have been chanting Arsenal are going to win the league, Arteta was asked? “I don’t know,” he smiled. “I would be singing with them to support the team. They did exceptionally and the amount of people we have coming here, their attitude, commitment, the energy they’re putting in, it’s incredible. We’re going to need that. It’s a game changer for us.”
As was the return of Jesus, who has missed more matches than he has played this season. He came on for the final 15 minutes with the match well won. His replacement in attack from the start had been fit-again Leandro Trossard. January's signing from Brighton assisted all three of Arsenal's first half goals for Gabriel Magalhaes, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard.
Fulham were poor and were fortunate not to concede more.
Agitated coach Marco Silva said: “Arsenal were good and deserved to win but we were so soft and so were all three goals. I told them at half-time to 'wake up!' We can have no excuses about tiredness or injuries or anything!” Classy Arsenal were rampant from the off. They thought they had taken a 16th minute lead when Martinelli's shot was turned into his own net by Antonee Robinson, but VAR ruled it offside by the narrowest of margins.
The visiting supporters were still letting us know what they think of VAR – they are not in favour – as Arteta's men kept their composure and took the lead legitimately just five minutes later.
The impressive Trossard struck an inswinging corner from the left and Gabriel outjumped a mass of Fulham defenders to score with a powerful downward header. Just five minutes after that and the increasingly prolific Martinelli headed in his 12th of the season from another Trossard cross to double Arsenal's lead.
Fulham were billed as a genuinely tough opponent but their team was as subdued and lack lustre as their silent, baffled supporters. Silva was missing a key player or two – notably midfielder Joao Palhinha and former Arsenal man Willian - but the ones he sent out, with one or two exceptions were missing any sense of purpose.
Granit Xhaka failed to convert at the end of a wonderful passing move that would have made it an even earlier three-goal lead which would not have flattered Arsenal. We had played for just over half an hour and it could and should have been four or five to the Premier League leaders.
As it was, captain Odegaard scored the third with the last kick of the first half as Trossard became the first player in Premier League history to make a hat-trick of assists in the first half of an away game. A niche stat but the Arsenal fans showed how they have taken to their new signing with booming rounds of 'LEO, LEO'
Fulham had to be and were better in the second half, finally recording their first attempt on target in the 69th minute as Bobby De Cordova-Reid forced an excellent save from an ever-alert Aaron Ramsdale. Tosin headed against the bar too, but Arsenal were in control and Arteta was able to give Bukayo Saka and Oleksandr Zinchenko a decent rest with relatively early substitutions.
Jesus came on for the final 15 minutes to the loudest cheer of the day. The Brazil forward underwent surgery during the Qatar World Cup and has missed more than half of the season since his summer switch from Manchester City. He had a great chance to mark his return with a goal, but his poor finish served as a reminder that despite his huge influence on Arsenal, he is not the most prolific finisher in the top flight.
: Leno 6, Tete 5, Adarabioyo 5, Reed 6, Mitrovic 6, Solomon 6 (James 76), Ream 4, Cordova-Reid 5, Pereira 5 (Wilson 76), Lukic 5, Robinson 4. Subs: Rodak, Wickens, Vinicius, Diop, Francois, Harris, Robinson.
: Ramsdale 8, White 7 (Tomiyasu 80), Gabriel 7, Saliba 8, Zinchenko 8 (Tierney 71), Saka 7 (Nelson 71), Partey 8, Xhaka 7, Odegaard 7, Martinelli 7 (Vieira 77), Trossard 8 (Jesus 77). Subs: Turner, Smith Rowe, Holding, Jorginho.
: David Coote 6
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
