Arsenal moved six points clear at the top of the Premier League with Bukayo Saka playing a starring role and Viktor Gyokeres taking his season’s goal tally to 21 as they comfortably beat Fulham at Emirates Stadium.
Mikel Arteta’s men took the chance to pile the pressure on title rivals Manchester City who have played two games fewer than the Gunners and are not in action until Monday when they visit Everton.
Arsenal went ahead in the ninth minute when Saka, making his first start since March after an Achilles injury, easily beat Raul Jimenez down the right and picked out Gyokeres to tap in from close range for his 20th goal of the campaign.
The Swedish striker then turned provider five minutes before the break when he slipped a pass into Saka and the England winger curled a quality low finish past Fulham keeper Bernd Leno at his near post.
Gyokeres then claimed his second on the night when he headed home Leandro Trossard’s cross to wrap up the three points in first-half stoppage time.
The Gunners almost added a fourth when Riccardo Calafiori headed on to the crossbar, with the Italian having had an earlier strike ruled out for offside.
Having made five changes to his starting line-up, Arteta was also able to take off Saka at half-time and rest other key players as focus moved to Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final second-leg tie against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday. The game is finely poised at 1-1 for the return leg at Emirates Stadium.
