Arsenal vs fulham

 Saka's Return Propels Arsenal Past Fulham, but Injuries to Gabriel and Timber Deepen Crisis

Arsenal fans had been eagerly awaiting Bukayo Saka’s return, and when he shed his tracksuit to enter as a 66th-minute substitute, his red shirt illuminated the moment. The reaction was one of pure relief. His three-month absence due to a ruptured hamstring had taken a toll, with Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes fading in his absence.

Saka wasted no time in making an impact, embracing the script that seemed destined for him. Arsenal’s dominant home record against Fulham—24 wins, seven draws, and no defeats—remained intact. They were already on course for another victory, thanks to Mikel Merino’s heavily deflected goal in the 37th minute, a crucial contribution from the club’s stand-in No. 9.

Saka brought the Emirates to life. Gabriel Martinelli, electric and relentless throughout, sparked the move, exchanging passes with Mikel Merino before delivering an improvised yet perfectly measured flick to the inevitable target—Saka. His header was precise, his return triumphant. Welcome back, Bukayo—just in time for next Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final clash against Real Madrid.

But it wasn’t all smooth sailing for Arsenal. Fulham mounted a late push, pulling one back in stoppage time through Rodrigo Muniz, who had squandered a golden headed chance earlier in the 81st minute. Ryan Sessegnon, another substitute, had come close before Muniz’s eventual goal, which took a deflection off William Saliba. Arsenal wobbled, but an equalizer would have been undeserved.

The real concern for Mikel Arteta was the deepening defensive crisis. Gabriel Magalhães and Jurriën Timber both limped off, adding to an already worrying injury list. Riccardo Calafiori had picked up a knee issue with Italy, while Ben White was nursing discomfort in his knee. The timing couldn’t be worse.

Gabriel’s injury came early, just 13 minutes in, as he chased down Adama Traoré on a Fulham counter. A sudden pop, and he knew he couldn’t continue. One hamstring heals, another gives way. His replacement, Jakub Kiwior, endured a few shaky moments—something Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior would have surely taken note of.

Timber’s troubles began in the first half when he blocked a Raúl Jiménez shot, appearing to be caught by the striker’s follow-through. He soldiered on but ultimately couldn’t finish the game, with Arteta later confirming a knee issue.

On a night when Arteta had no intention of starting Saka, the anticipation was unmistakable. The roar when his name was announced before kickoff, the applause during his warm-up run in the 24th minute—it was all building to his moment. The crowd even dusted off their old chant for Saka and Emile Smith Rowe, who was back at his former home in Fulham colors.

But until Merino’s fortuitous breakthrough, there wasn’t much else for Arsenal fans to celebrate. When Saka finally took the stage, though, the night truly belonged to him.

Marco Silva has turned Fulham into a resilient, well-drilled side that rarely allows opponents many clear chances. Setting up with three center-backs, his team operated in a compact 5-4-1 shape without the ball, making life difficult for Arsenal despite Martinelli’s relentless efforts. As the first half neared its end, Ethan Nwaneri finally broke through, slipping past Antonee Robinson to latch onto Timber’s clever pass.

Nwaneri impressed with his close control in tight spaces, using clever feints to navigate pressure. In the 22nd minute, he connected sweetly on a volley from a Martinelli cross, but it was directed too close to Bernd Leno. Later, he shifted the ball inside to Merino, though his teammate appeared boxed in.

With little space to operate, Merino could only stab a shot toward the near post—seemingly an easy save for Leno, given its lack of power. But fate had other plans. The ball deflected off Jorge Cuenca, wrong-footing the keeper and nestling into the far corner. It marked Merino’s fifth goal in eight games since his transition to center-forward.

Silva was frustrated with Fulham’s lack of attacking spark before halftime but dismissed any suggestions of an FA Cup hangover from their defeat to Crystal Palace. His team responded in the second half, with Raúl Jiménez bursting down the right to test David Raya, while Adama Traoré dispossessed Kiwior before dragging his shot wide.

Arsenal had their moments, too. Martin Ødegaard showed flashes of brilliance. Timber unleashed a shot at Leno. Martinelli dazzled with his incisive runs.

And then came Saka.