Arsenal don hammer Fulham 3-0 for Emirates Stadium, and now dem dey six points clear for top of Premier League table. Viktor Gyokeres score two goals, Bukayo Saka add one more, and the whole team show real quality for north London.
Tactical guru Adrian Clarke don break down the finer details of how we dismantle the Cottagers. One big story na the performance of 19-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly, wey make im first senior start as central midfielder for club or country. The boy play double pivot alongside Declan Rice, and e do simple things with calm and assurance. Im distribution top class: 97% pass completion, 64 out of 66 passes. E just boss the central domain, as chalkboard show. The youngster also win six ball recoveries and seven of im 11 duels, showing physicality and positional awareness. Press-resistant and able to use im body to manoeuvre out of tight situations, e even win four free kicks for fouls on am. Arteta gamble by trying Lewis-Skelly for that role late for season with high stakes, but the decision well vindicated.
Viktor Gyokeres become only the second Gunners star to score 20+ goals (21) in all competitions for im debut season this century. Alexis Sanchez do am for 2014/15 with 25 goals. For im 68 minutes on pitch, Gyokeres run Fulham central defenders ragged with intelligent but forceful movement. E dey always look to spin in behind, and e frighten Danish defender Joachim Andersen especially. The summer signing make team-high 23 sprints, even though e come off with half hour left. One superbly timed run in behind Fulham rearguard typify im quality movement, and from that play e set up Saka for our vital second goal.
Our dynamic, positive movement be key to break down Fulham. Players wear red shirts test their direct markers with searching forward runs, making us hard to play against. The most inventive piece of movement come from Bukayo Saka ahead of our second goal. Responding to Gyokeres initial run, Saka make straight supporting run, watched closely by left back Antonee Robinson, who scan over im shoulder four times. Then at the very last moment, Saka duck inside am with smart blind side run, catching the American off guard. E get fed perfectly by Gyokeres and go score. Another example na Declan Rice mind wey be made up by timing of Saka movement, and from that situation Eze get shot blocked just in front of goal. The electric runs inside final third help us be potent attacking force.
Leandro Trossard dey back on top form against Fulham, even though e no get Premier League goals and just one top-flight assist for 2026. The Belgian fire off four shots, play with great intent, and though e no score, im influence strong. Im most eye-catching contribution come on stroke of half-time when e carry ball 50 yards at speed on counter attack, before clipping perfect cross for Gyokeres to head home. That be wonderful assist from Trossard, wey bright and bubbly throughout, keep ball for team with 92% pass accuracy. Earlier e get frustrated to see another assist chalked off for offside against Riccardo Calafiori. Later, Trossard almost supply Gyokeres with hat-trick goal, surging down middle before slipping cute through ball for the Swede.
Bukayo Saka 200th Premier League start go well well. The fourth youngest player to reach that mark, im goal and assist mean the England international don now be directly involved in 150 goals (80 goals, 70 assists) for us for all competitions. Im assist against Fulham be one of the best you go see all season. We identify that opponents set piece marking plans leave striker Raul Jimenez on the outside, effectively picking up Saka, so we deliberately play free kick short to isolate our winger in 1v1 with the Mexican. Shrewd planning from us, as the front man put in real predicament, with Saka twisting and turning in style to leave Jimenez on the turf. Then in trademark fashion, Saka decision-making faultless when e matter most, whipping perfect low ball across face of goal for Gyokeres to slam home. Having missed several games in recent weeks, e be fabulous to see our captain on the day produce such quality display.
Replaced at half-time, e almost certain say Saka go start against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night.
Do you have a news tip for NNN? Please email us at editor @ nnn.ng
