Match Report
Arsenal (3) 3-0 (0) Fulham
Premier League Match Day 35 25_26 at Emirates Stadium
Saturday 2nd May KO: 17:30
Referee:
Jarred Gillett (Australia)
Live on Sky Sports
|
| Match Stats |
Arsenal |
Fulham |
| Goals |
(0) 0 |
0 (0) |
|
| Scorers |
Gyokeres 9 |
- |
| |
Saka 40 |
- |
| |
Gyokeres 45+4 |
- |
| , |
| Goal attempts |
18 |
10 |
| On target |
9 |
1 |
| Shooting Accuracy |
50% |
10% |
| Possession |
54% |
46% |
| Passes |
504 |
418 |
| Passes Success |
89% |
83% |
| Crosses |
9 |
12 |
| Crosses Success |
33% |
8% |
| Corners |
3 |
4 |
| Tackles |
4 |
17 |
| Tackles Success |
57% |
77% |
| Saves |
1 |
6 |
| Fouls |
7 |
12 |
| Offsides |
7 |
0 |
| Yellows |
0 |
1 |
| Reds |
0 |
0 |
| source: SkySports |
Fulham were undone by a rampant first half Arsenal display at the Emirates on Saturday.
Goals from Viktor Gyökeres either side of Bukayo Saka’s strike had the Gunners three up at the break, and that was the way the contest stayed.
We were much improved after the break and fashioned a number of openings, but the damage had unfortunately already been done in the first 45.
Marco Silva made two enforced changes to the side that beat Aston Villa a week earlier, with Ryan Sessegnon and Sander Berge ruled out with a hamstring injury and illness, respectively. Antonee Robinson and Harrison Reed – who captained the side – were the like-for-like replacements.
Saka was one of the players brought in for Arsenal and within nine minutes created the opener, skipping beyond Raúl Jiménez – who had found himself in the left-back area – before fizzing a ball across the face for Gyökeres’ simple finish.
Before that, Leandro Trossard had dragged a shot wide of the far post, and he did likewise after quarter of an hour as the hosts looked to capitalise on the momentum gained from their early goal.
Arsenal came close to doubling their lead on 27 minutes but Leno made a good save to deny Gyökeres before Saka sent the rebound wide, though there’s a chance VAR would have given us a reprieve had they scored, as Leno was absolutely clattered by Gabriel in the build-up.
VAR was called into action moments later when Riccardo Calafiori glanced home an accurate header, but he was a good yard offside as Trossard sent his delivery in.
Fulham were improved after that disallowed goal, spending the subsequent periods camped in Arsenal’s half, just without creating anything really clear cut, just a couple of blocked shots from Samuel Chukwueze and Robinson.
But it was the hosts who struck next, with Gyökeres and Saka swapping roles this time, as the striker held the ball up before feeding the England man who lashed home inside the near post.
The Gunners had been very good and they killed the game as a contest in the fourth minute of stoppage time, after three had been added on, with Gyökeres looping his header back across Leno from Trossard’s pick out.
Fulham looked for a response early in the second half, and Raúl had David Raya worried when he took aim from distance, but his strike cleared the angle of post and crossbar.
Timothy Castagne and Raúl then glanced headers wide from two corners, as we continued our strong start following the restart.
Arsenal remained a threat and should have made it four when Gyökeres was sent through, but his effort was saved by Leno after being played in by Trossard, who had appeared to foul Harry Wilson in the lead-up.
Tom Cairney made up a third of a triple substitution made by Silva, and he won a corner when his snapshot deflected behind following a Raúl free-kick that hit the wall.
We kept the pressure on after that set-piece, with Castagne repurposing his body smartly to enable him to rifle in a volley that threatened to catch Raya out, but the Arsenal ‘keeper adjusted well to parry with his chest.
Emile Smith Rowe was next to try his luck, but he rifled into the side-netting after some good running from Calvin Bassey.
Calafiori must have thought he’d got his goal when he flicked Noni Madueke’s corner on target, but it took an inadvertent touch off the head of Leno, which lifted it up and onto the crossbar.
There was a chance for a consolation in stoppage time as Fulham broke with numbers into the box, but the lively Josh King was just unable to find his man, and so 3-0 was how it ended in North London.
Fulham boss Marco Silva:
Fulham boss Marco Silva in his press conference: "There was a virus in the training ground. It started with some players, some staff members too.
"I don't want to start the press conference in this way because it looks like excuses. But it was a complicated week for ourselves.
"Apart from the big players we have out injured, we had this weird week for ourselves. It is what it is. We started with eleven, it's not the reason why in the first half we weren't at the level we should be.
"We made Arsenal's life too easy."
Arsenal 3-0 Fulham highlights
Arsenal
: Raya, White (Mosquera 83), Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Calafiori, Rice (Zubimendi 64), Lewis-Skelly, Saka (Madueke 45), Eze (Dowman 78), Trossard, Gyokeres (Gabriel Jesus 64)
Unused substitutes: Hincapie, Gabriel Martinelli, Arrizabalaga, Norgaard
Goals:
Gyökeres 9 (left footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Bukayo Saka following a set piece situation.)
Saka 40(left footed shot from the right side of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Viktor Gyökeres.)
Gyökeres 45+4(header from the centre of the box to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Leandro Trossard.)
Fulham: Leno, Castagne, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson, Reed (Cairney 63), Lukic, Wilson (Bobb 64), Smith Rowe (Kusi-Asare 78), Chukwueze (King 64), Jimenez (Muniz 73)
Unused substitutes: Tete, Cuenca, Lecomte, Diop
Yellow Card:Sasa Lukic (f,23)
Referee:
Jarred Gillett (Australia)
Attendance: 60,196
Fulham are next in action against Bournemouth at Craven Cottage on Saturday 9th of May at 15.00.