Bukayo Saka made an emphatic return to action, scoring just seven minutes after coming off the bench to help Arsenal secure a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Fulham at the Emirates Stadium.
The England international had been sidelined for 101 days due to a hamstring injury but wasted no time making his mark, heading in Gabriel Martinelli’s flick at the far post in the 73rd minute. His presence injected fresh energy into Mikel Arteta’s side, who were looking to maintain their pursuit of league leaders Liverpool.
Mikel Merino had earlier given the Gunners a deserved lead in the 37th minute when his shot took a deflection and found the bottom corner after a smart cut-back from Ethan Nwaneri. Arsenal controlled much of the possession, but Fulham remained stubborn in defense, frustrating the hosts for large spells of the match.
The visitors had their chances, with Rodrigo Muniz squandering a golden opportunity to pull one back much earlier. However, his perseverance paid off deep into stoppage time when his shot took a wicked deflection off William Saliba, wrong-footing goalkeeper David Raya and setting up a nervy finish.
Despite the late scare, Arsenal held on to move within nine points of runaway leaders Liverpool. While the return of Saka provided a major boost, the injury to center-back Gabriel in the first half cast a shadow over the night. With a crucial Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid on the horizon, Arteta will be hoping for positive news on his defensive stalwart.
Arsenal now turn their attention to their weekend clash against Everton in the Premier League before hosting Real Madrid in a high-stakes European showdown at the Emirates next Tuesday.
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