Arsenal 2 Fulham 1: Saka’s dream return, Gabriel injury concern and Merino scores again

Sports

add

The Premier League title may be fading from view, but Arsenal are at least keeping Liverpool honest.

A 2-1 victory over Fulham, sealed by Bukayo Saka’s second-half goal seven minutes after making his long-awaited return from injury, cut the Merseysiders’ lead at the top of the table to nine points, with Mikel Arteta’s side having played one game more.

It wasn’t a perfect night — Gabriel limped off early on with what appeared to be a hamstring problem and there was no clean sheet as Rodrigo Muniz scored in injury time — but this was a timely boost ahead of next Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final first leg against Real Madrid.

We analyse the major talking points.

Saka returns in the nick of time

Bukayo Saka is back. Seven minutes after his return was greeted with a huge roar, he earned an even bigger one by stooping to head home his first Premier League goal since November.

Saka’s absence has been part of a difficult period for Arsenal, one in which they’ve gone out of both domestic cups and seen their Premier League challenge falter. His return here, one week ahead of the tie with Real Madrid, will ignite some hope that there could be life in their season yet.

Bukayo Saka is mobbed by his team-mates after scoring (Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images)

While Arteta intimated in his pre-match press conference that Saka was ready to start, few fans arrived at the Emirates Stadium expecting to see the 23-year-old in the starting line-up. For some time now, that Madrid tie has been the clear target. This week’s games against Fulham and Everton are, for Saka, about proving his fitness ahead of the resumption of the Champions League.

It is difficult to avoid the conclusion that Arsenal’s season now rests wholly on the two-legged affair against the Spanish champions. While this was a welcome three points for Arsenal, there was a sense among the crowd that the most significant moments were those with ramifications for the Madrid tie. Saka’s return should build some much-needed belief.

Gabriel exit gives Arteta a big headache

When a yellow card against Colombia ruled Gabriel out of Brazil’s second game of the March international break, Arsenal fans took it as a welcome stroke of luck. It meant the 27-year-old centre-half could return to London Colney in good time, with fresher legs.

Football can be a cruel game. Just 16 minutes after the resumption of Premier League action, Gabriel went off clutching his hamstring and wearing a facial expression that suggested his chances of facing Real Madrid were slim at best.

Arsenal fans will wait and hope for good news from Arteta and the medical staff, but watching Gabriel disappear immediately down the tunnel will not have filled supporters with optimism.

Gabriel limps off with a leg injury (Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

It’s undoubtedly a big blow to Arsenal, who will have hoped to rely on the defensive foundation provided by the partnership in the upcoming Champions League tie.

On top of the loss of Gabriel, Jurrien Timber also looked in pain at various moments during this game before he was withdrawn in the 77th minute.

Arsenal fans will also have concerns over the availability of Riccardo Calafiori and Ben White. “He had a little niggle two days ago,” Arteta said of White pre-game. “Yesterday we tried, he wasn’t feeling right, so we decided not to put him in the squad today.”

Gabriel was replaced against Fulham by Jakub Kiwior, but if White can prove his fitness over the next seven days, he might be the obvious choice to partner Saliba in the centre of Arsenal’s defence against Real Madrid.

How crucial are Merino’s goals?

Arsenal’s tie against Real Madrid will see a glamour tie graced by some serious in-form attacking talent — Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Rodrigo… and Mikel Merino?

Merino’s goal against Fulham was his fifth in eight games since moving into the centre-forward role. He has scored four of Arsenal’s last five Premier League goals and is now having the most prolific league campaign of his career. He’s doing a remarkably good job — if Arsenal had signed a striker in January who’d made that sort of impact, it’d be hailed as a masterstroke.

Mikel Merino celebrates another Arsenal goal (Justin Setterfield / Getty Images)

Arsenal’s decision to proceed without signing a forward is certainly open to criticism. Arteta’s response, however, repurposing Merino into a makeshift centre-forward, has been rather impressive.

Merino, who also scored for Spain during the international break, is very much a midfielder doing a forward’s job, but there are times when his gait and physical presence are somewhat reminiscent of another tall, powerful forward who played alongside Arteta: Olivier Giroud.

What next for Arsenal?

Saturday, April 5: Everton (Away), Premier League, 12.30pm UK, 7.30am ET

Recommended reading

(Top photo: Bukayo Saka celebrates; by Shaun Botterill / Getty Images)

This news was originally published on this post .

Share on

email

Previous

trending_flat

Texas Longhorns’ legendary quarterback Colt McCoy and Head Coach Steve Sarkisian share strong opinions on Arch Manning

Arch Manning - English

Next

trending_flat

Sormani coloca Neymar acima de vencedores da Bola de Ouro: “Não levou a sério”

Futebol