Arsenal 2 Fulham 1: Bukayo Saka scores less than seven minutes into dream return but Gabriel injury taints win
MIKEL ARTETA just cannot catch a break as Bukayo Saka’s comeback celebrations were spoiled by yet another crushing injury blow.
Twenty games and 101 days after his last Arsenal appearance, Saka strutted on in the 66th minute to a standing ovation and rapturous applause.
Seven minutes later, the Emirates were deliriously on their feet once more as the Gunners’ saviour scored a match-winning header to finally see off Fulham after Mikel Merino’s first half opener and a late consolation from Rodrigo Muniz.
Saka’s every touch was hailed and drooled over, the first competitive run-out on a hamstring that had been sliced open and operated on just over three months ago.
A real morale-boosting, mood-changing moment in Arsenal’s season – or so we thought.
After 13 minutes, centre-back Gabriel pulled up clutching his own hamstring, hobbling off with the look of a man who knows he is now a serious doubt for the visit of Real Madrid to North London for next week’s Champions League quarter final.
Just as Arsenal’s campaign faded after Saka’s hamstring issues – getting knocked out of the Carabao Cup and FA Cup and falling adrift in the Prem title race – their chances of progressing in Europe have now taken a huge hit to the gut.
It does not stop there. Jurrien Timber had struggled for large parts before being subbed off in the 78th minute.
As boss Arteta has done all season, he will need to find the answers to stop Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham without potentially two of his defensive starters, with Riccardo Calafiori and Ben White also doubts.
At least they will be taking on Los Blancos with Saka back to fitness, and back to form, scoring his sixth Prem goal this term, picking up right where he left off in December.
The 23-year-old started against the Cottagers on the bench, Ethan Nwaneri rewarded for his fine form in Saka’s absence with another start on the right wing.
Fulham and Marco Silva – so often the architects of Arsenal’s downfall in recent years, without a league defeat to them since March 2023 – made five changes in their attempts to keep chase with the top four.
The Emirates atmosphere was subdued, beginning the day 12 points off leaders Liverpool, and Arsenal did not turn up in the opening stages. Misplaced passes galore.
Arteta could not be blamed for turning to his bench and wondering how long he needed to wait before chucking Saka on to provide some sort of spark.
A wholly uninspiring start, and then a hugely demoralising moment for Gabriel that nearly descended into a farce as he hit the floor chasing back a Fulham counter.
Arsenal decided to play on and attack for a further two minutes, refusing to kick the ball out as Gabriel remained flat on the turf.
Arteta and what looked like the entire coaching staff were begging their players to stop the game, as was Declan Rice, but they were ignored.
Inevitably, the visitors won it back and pounced from deep, well within their rights to play on, despite hypocritical protests from Arsenal.
Gabriel was forced to get back up and hobble back into the defensive line. Luckily, Fulham could only muster winning a corner before the crippled defender could be subbed off.
His replacement, Jakub Kiwior – making his first Prem appearance since December 8 in the 1-1 draw at Fulham – instantly slipped and nearly let Raul Jimenez through.
Fulham’s Mexican forward was involved again as Arteta was forced to contemplate another defensive injury substitution in the 28th minute.
Timber went down off the ball, having felt the full force of a Jimenez follow-through. This time, the ball was kicked out and the Dutchman received treatment.
He had been a doubt after suffering from illness over the international break, but was able to carry on. Saka then strolled down the touchline, lifting the atmosphere somewhat.
The players on the pitch were huffing and puffing. A break was desperately needed. Nwaneri had forced Bernd Leno to palm away his volley into the ground.
The England Under-21s international then drove and pulled back for Merino, the Spaniard clumsily sorted out his feet and poked into the far corner via a deflection from Jorge Cuenca – his seventh goal of the season.
A messy stand-out from a forgettable half of football. Fulham trudged down the tunnel without a first-half shot on target. It took seven minutes of the second half to change that.
Jimenez raced down the left of the box with Timber on his backside and David Raya’s unconvincing flap into the middle of his box had to be hoofed away by Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Arsenal were trying to jam themselves into first gear. Timber smacked an effort into the chest of Leno and Merino had a close-range volley well blocked.
But the arrival of Saka was what they needed – their starboy getting on the end of a Merino cross that was flicked to the back post by Martinelli.
Without Gabriel, Arsenal made a meal of seeing this one out, somehow allowing Muniz to find Raya’s bottom corner in injury time.
An ominous sign for the impending welcome of Carlo Ancelotti’s Galacticos.