Bukayo Saka scored the clincher as Arsenal defeated Fulham 2-1 in their English Premier League (EPL) encounter at the Emirates stadium on Tuesday.
The England international of Nigerian heritage had missed the last 12 league matches due to a hamstring injury and doubled the Gunners’ advantage on his return in the second half after Mikel Merino’s opener.
Alex Iwobi, a former Arsenal man and Super Eagles midfielder, was a second-half substitute for Fulham, while Calvin Bassey was an unused substitute.
Arsenal are playing catch-up to Liverpool, runaway league leaders, but Mikel Arteta’s side were not ready to give up on their fading title hopes in this London derby, claiming all three points as the season’s final stretch unravels.
Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey and Ethan Nwaneri all fired wide for the hosts, who then lost Gabriel Marghaelles, their talismanic defender, to injury.
However, they regrouped and found the breakthrough on 37 minutes through Merino. The Spaniard’s deflected shot found the bottom corner for 1-0, which Arsenal protected into the halftime break.
The game continued without much action until the entry of Saka in the 66th minute, and the winger scored seven minutes afterwards, arriving at the back post to apply the finish to Gabriel Martinelli’s flick with his head for 2-0 on 73 minutes.
Rodrigo Munoz pulled one back for Fulham in the dying seconds as Arsenal saw out the match to claim all three points. The North Londoners remain second 61 points from 30 matches, cutting Liverpool’s lead to nine points.
Elsewhere, Anthony Elanga carried the ball for 85 yards to finish off a counter attack into the bottom corner as high-flying Nottingham Forest defeated struggling Manchester United 1-0 at the City Ground.
Both Ola Aina and Taiwo Awoniyi, Nigeria internationals, started the match, but Aina hobbled off due to injury on 39 minutes while Awoniyi lasted 86 minutes before substitution.
The win for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side completed a home and away clean sweep over Man United, their first over the Red Devils since the 1991/92 season.
They consolidate on third position with an eight-point gap over Chelsea in fourth as they inch closer to a spot in next season’s Champions League.
RESULTS
Arsenal 2-1 Fulham
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 West Ham United
Nottingham Forest 1-0 Manchester United
