By Thomas Durning
Three first half goals enough for Gunners to pick up three points.
A dominant first half performance from Arsenal was enough to secure a comfortable victory at Craven Cottage and also regain their five-point lead at the top of the Premier League table.
Fulham made two changes to the side that lost to Brentford in there last Premier League match. Issa Diop and Willian came out of the team, and they were replaced by Tosin Adarabioyo and Decordova-Reid. Willian did not make the Fulham squad as he was missing through injury.
Arsenal made five changes to the side that drew with Sporting Lisbon in the Europa League. Matt Turner, Jakub Kiwior, Fabio Vieira, Jorginho, and Reiss Nelson came out of the team, and they were replaced by regulars Aaron Ramsdale, Gabriel Magalhaes, Thomas Partey, Martin Odegaard, and Gabriel Martinelli. Striker Gabriel Jesus returned to the squad as he made the bench for the first time since the World Cup.
From the first minute of the match, Arsenal took control as they dominated possession moving the ball left to right in the hope they could break down Fulham’s narrow 4-4-2 defensive set up.
In the 16th minute, Arsenal thought they had taken the lead after an own goal by Fulham defender Robinson. A quick-one two by Martinelli and Xhaka resulted in Martinelli rushing down the left-hand side and as he raced towards goal, he produced a curling shot that was saved by Leno, but the ball ricocheted off Robinson and ended up in the back of the net. A VAR check showed that Martinelli was offside as he regained the ball after a pass from Xhaka.
The match quickly changed after this disallowed goal and five minutes later Arsenal took a deserved lead. A corner from Trossard on the left hand side was met by defender Gabriel who headered the ball passed former teammate Leno. This was Gabriel’s third goal in four appearances against Fulham.
It was domination from Arsenal and in the 26th minute, they scored there second goal of the afternoon. After Xhaka passed the ball to Trossard on the left-hand side, Trossard managed to get past defender Tete and delivered a cross which was met by Martinelli who headered the ball into the net from close range.
It was a poor performance from Fulham so far in the match and they had not managed to register a shot so far. However, the home fans had a glimmer of hope that their side were still alive in the match when in the 33rd minute, Solomon managed to cut inside from the left and crossed a teasing ball into the box however it went wide of the post as the Fulham attackers could not get onto the end of it.
It could have been worse for Fulham two minutes later after a brilliant move by Arsenal. A reverse ball by captain Odegaard resulted in Xhaka letting the ball run to Trossard who then played it to Xhaka who continued his run however he could not get to the ball in time and Leno managed to claim it. The one touch passing and off the ball movement from Arsenal was making it very difficult for Fulham who were struggling to handle the pace of the game.
It looked like a matter of time before Arsenal got a third goal and in injury time of the first half, the away side did claim there deserved third goal of the match. After Martinelli passed the ball down the left-hand side of the box, Trossard managed to get onto the end of it and he chipped a cross to Odegaard who managed to chest it down and take numerous touches in the Fulham box before slamming the ball into the bottom corner. This was Trossard’s third assist of the match, and he was the first player in Premier League history to get a hat-trick of assists in the first-half of an away game.
This was to be the last action of the first half and Arsenal went into half time in a very comfortable position in which they could have easily scored more than three goals. Fulham were the exact opposite and were really struggling to deal with Arsenal. One of Fulham’s key players Palhinha was serving his last match of his suspension and the home side looked like they were really missing the midfielder as they missed his leadership and physicality in the middle of the pitch.
The second half got underway and Fulham made a bright start to the half with a couple of chances for the home side which did not really test Arsenal’s resolve.
This bright start gave Fulham confidence and they did look like a completely different side in the second half as they managed to pin Arsenal into their own half with the Gunners tactic looking like they are happy to sit on there three goal lead.
The first real chance of the second half fell to Fulham in the 70th minute after a corner from the home side resulted in Mitrovic getting onto the end of it but his attempt rattled the bar.
Both sides made changes throughout the half which resulted in the pace of the game slowing down however, in the 85th minute Arsenal nearly got there fourth goal of the afternoon when Vieira carried the ball to the edge of the box and laid it off to substitute Gabriel Jesus who nearly made it a dream return however his shot was too close to Leno who made a comfortable save.
This was to be the last action of the match as Arsenal ran out comfortable winners at Craven Cottage.
Fulham: Leno, Tete, Adarabioyo, Ream, Robinson, Reed, Lukic, Decordova-Reid, Pereira (Wilson 76’) Solomon (James 76’) Mitrovic
Subs not used: Diop, Wickens, Carlos Vinicius, Francois, Harris, Robinson, Rodak
Arsenal: Ramsdale, White (Tomiyasu 80’) Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko (Tierney 72’) Partey, Xhaka, Odegaard, Saka (Nelson 72’) Martinelli (Vieira 77’) Trossard (Jesus 77’)
Subs not used: Holding, Smith-Rowe, Turner, Jorginho
Referee: David Coote
Reporter: Thomas Durning
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