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90+1 min That’s a bit negative. This has been an excellent day for Arsenal, whose first-half performance – their most relaxed in ages – bodes well for the rest of the season.
90 min There will be four added minutes. The second half has been a bit of a non-event. I hope, for their sake, that Arsenal don’t regret that when the music stops on 24 May.
88 min Manchester City have five to play.
87 min Arsenal’s remaining games – look I know you know, but some people might not know – are as follows
85 min Dowman turns Lukic majestically in the centre circle and heads for goal. He holds off Bassey on the edge of the D, dances back inside and screws a right-foot shot wide of the far post. No real threat to Fulham in the end but it was a charming piece of play from an unimaginably talented 16-year-old.
Updated at 14.17 EDT
83 min: Arsenal substitution Cristhian Mosquera for Ben White.
Share80 min: Calafiori hits the bar!
An excellent inswinging corner from Madueke is headed against the crossbar by Calafiori, who punches the air in frustration.
Replays show that Calafiori’s effort hit the head of Leno, who was trying to punch the ball clear, and then deflected up onto the bar.
Arsenal’s Riccardo Calafiori rises highest and his header clatters against the woodwork. Photograph: Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 14.16 EDT
78 min: Fulham substitution Smith Rowe limps off to be replaced by Jonah Kusi-Asare.
78 min: Arsenal substitution Max Dowman replaces the superb Eberechi Eze. That’s a clever idea, not just because of Dowman’s quality but because a goal from him would add to the feelgood vibe.
76 min Smith Rowe hits the side netting from a very tight angle and then flops to the turf, apparently injured. The physios are coming on.
Fulham’s Emile Smith Rowe shoots at goal but can only find the side netting. Photograph: Paul Childs/Action Images/ReutersShare
Updated at 14.14 EDT
75 min “Hi Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “Really hoping Arteta gets the ‘Yea Pep, Talk Nah’ piece of paper out of his pocket at full time…”
Blimey, I didn’t have Denesh Ramdin on my bingo card today.
73 min: Fulham substitution Rodrigo Muniz for Raul Jimenez.
72 min The corner is headed away but Fulham keep the pressure on. The ball drops kindly for Castagne, who rakes a half-volley towards goal from 17 yards. Raya is well positioned and keeps it out.
That was Fulham’s first shot on target.
71 min King is fouled just outside the area by Madueke. The free-kick is to the left of centre… and Jimenez slaps it into the wall. Cairney’s follow-up deflects behind for a corner.
69 min An animated Arteta shouts some instructions to his team, who have lost their way in the second half. No matter how mindful you are of the potential importance of goal difference, it must be so hard to play at maximum intensity when you lead 3-0.
67 min Andersen makes a last-ditch tackle on Jesus, though it wouldn’t have counted as he was fractionally offside.
66 min Lukic, on a yellow card, takes a big risk by pulling back Myles Lewis-Skelly. The referee lets him off.
Lewis-Skelly has been quietly excellent in midfield.
65 min “I’d make Arsenal pretty strong title favourites now,” writes Max Williams. “They have points on the board, the easier run in and a home match against relegated Burnley to further rack up the goals. Plus it feels a little like City got too carried away with erasing the deficit – the fan tears, Haaland smirk, etc – and might struggle to do it again, especially with the added scoreboard pressure.”
65 min: Double substitution for Arsenal No hat-trick for Gyokeres, but it’s a compliment that he’s being rested ahead of Tuesday. Declan Rice also comes off, with Gabriel Jesus and Martin Zubimendi the replacements.
64 min: Triple substitution for Fulham Tom Cairney, Josh King and Oscar Bobb replace Reed, Chukwueze and Wilson.
62 min Fulham’s passing has been better in the second half, helped no doubt by Arsenal sitting deeper and playing on the break.
60 min “Seeing this reminds me of something,” writes DAvid Howell. “Specifically, the Climate Clubs campaign a few years ago that reimagined various club badges to make a point about climate change (and raise money for relevant charities). One of those was the Fulham badge being changed to read FFS – something I’m sure fans of Manchester City would sympathise with right now.”
Arsenal’s next home game is against Burnley, which could be a test of Manchester City fans’ joie de vivre.
Updated at 13.53 EDT
59 min Trossard slices a shot from the edge of the area that is easily saved by Leno.
Share56 min: Big chance for Gyokeres!
Viktor Gyokeres comes tantalisingly close to his first Arsenal hat-trick. He made a perfectly timed run onto a deft through pass from Trossard, but Leno was quickly off his line to narrow the angle and block Gyokeres’s shot. Good goalkeeping.
Fulham’s keeper Bernd Leno denies Viktor Gyökeres a hat-trick. Photograph: Dylan Martinez/ReutersShare
Updated at 13.54 EDT
54 min It’s not easy for Arsenal to balance the Atletico Madrid game, which begins in 73 hours, and the need to score as many as possible. We’ll have a better idea after Monday night, when Manchester City go to Everton, but there’s every chance both teams will win all their remaining league games. If so, the title will be decided on goal difference.
51 min Eze controls Madueke’s pass on the stretch and is shaping to shoot when Bassey makes a vital challenge.
49 min Smith Rowe’s near-post corner is headed across goal by Castagne, with no Fulham player able to poke it into the net.
Timothy Castagne of Fulham sends a header across the Arsenal goalmouth. Photograph: Javier García/ShutterstockShare
Updated at 14.02 EDT
49 min Robinson’s cross is sliced over his own bar by Saliba. Fulham have started the second half pretty well.
48 min Jimeneze has a pop from 25 yards. It’s a good effort that fades a few yards wide of the goal with Raya at full stretch.
47 min I missed a half-time substitution for Arsenal: Noni Madueke has replaced Bukayo Saka, presumably to rest the main man ahead of Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.
46 min Arsenal get the second half under way.
‘Press release’ is the subject of Charles Antaki’s email.
double quotation mark(Reads from piece of paper): On behalf of a significant fraction of Arsenal fans, I am prepared to consider revising my opinion of Victor Gyökeres, subject to further developments.
Half-time reading
“Rob,” writes Sean Orlowicz, “you said fighting for a title was supposed to be miserable. “I’m having a blast!!!
“(I’ve been miserable since January.)”
Arf. That first half reminds me of the title-winning sides under Wenger, who had – for a Manchester United fan – a sickening habit of being 3-0 up after 20 minutes in April and May.
ShareHalf time: Arsenal 3-0 Fulham
Bukayo Saka’s return to the starting XI inspired a joyous first-half performance from Arsenal, who now have the chance to massage their goal difference in the second half. Saka made the first for Viktor Gyokeres, who returned the favour and then scored his second with a fine header.
Here’s the Premier League table as things stand.
Trossard led an Arsenal break with a surge through the inside-left channel. He beat his man in the area and stood up an inviting cross towards the far post. It was slightly behind Gyokeres, who showed his finishing expertise by straining his neck muscles to loop a header over Leno. He took that beautifully.
Viktor Gyökeres rises high and sends a header goalwards … Photograph: Kieran McManus/ShutterstockThen watches as it loops into the Fulham net, for his second goal of the game. Photograph: Marc Atkins/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 13.26 EDT
GOAL! Arsenal 3-0 Fulham (Gyokeres 45+4)
Another terrific goal clinches victory for Arsenal, already.
45+2 min I think this is the first time Saka has scored and created a goal all season, since 2024 in fact. If so, he’s picked a very good time to signal a return to form. The Emirates is a totally different place to the Newcastle game a week ago.
45 min Three minutes of added time. Arsenal are hunting a third before the break, which would then allow them to concentrate on goal difference in the second half. It’s an awkward thing to manage but they should be mindful of it as it may well decide the title.
44 min A delicious cross from Saliba just evades the stretching Gabriel at the far post. This is Arsenal’s most relaxed attacking performance in ages, probably since they walloped Spurs 4-1 in February.
43 min The return of Bukayo Saka has made Arsenal smile again.
In his first start for six weeks, a rejuventated Bukayo Saka has made one and scored one. Eze swept a nice pass down the right for the ever-willing Gyokeres, who held the ball up until Saka made a sudden dart infield. Gyokeres played him in with a nice reverse pass, and Saka rifled a low drive past Leno at the near post. That’s a lovely goal.
A fiery finish from Bukayo Saka doubles Arsenal’s lead. Photograph: Marc Atkins/Getty ImagesSaka celebrates. Photograph: Paul Childs/Action Images/ReutersAs does his manager Mikel Arteta … Photograph: Dylan Martinez/ReutersAnd the Gooners. Photograph: Kieran McManus/ShutterstockShare
Updated at 13.57 EDT
GOAL! Arsenal 2-0 Fulham (Saka 40)
Bukayo Saka’s back, baby!
40 min Trossard chops away from a defender on the edge of the area and sweeps a daisycutter that is comfortably saved by Leno.
38 min Sounds odd to say, but Fulham might be the happier team if it’s still 1-0 at half-time. Arsenal have been much the better team and will be keen to put the game to bed before we reach the jitterzone.
Updated at 13.10 EDT
37 min Wilson’s corner is cleared by Saliba, but then White loses his balance and is robbed by Lukic. His defensive mates get him out of trouble by clearing Lukic’s cross.
36 min Fulham are having a decent little spell. Calafiori gives Raya problem with a short backpass in a crowded area; Raya’s clearance hits Gabriel and ricochets behind for a Fulham corner.
35 min “I’ve never understood the criticism of Gyokeres, I have to say,” have to says Joshua Keeling. “I think he’s a very good player. Not in the absolute top rank of strikers (Haaland et al), but very few are. He’s a good finisher and gives Arsenal something different.”
I can understand it – he is a relatively limited player – but like everything it has been way over the top.
Updated at 13.08 EDT
32 min Chukwueze and then Robinson have long-range shots blocked.