Saka inspires Arsenal on return

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Arsenal 2 - 1 Fulham

Bukayo Saka wasted no time making an impact on his return from injury, scoring just seven minutes after coming on to help Arsenal secure victory over Fulham at the Emirates Stadium.

Author - DJ

Stadium - Emirates Stadium

English football ~ 24/25 run in - Premier League | Arsenal v Fulham

The England winger had been sidelined for 101 days but came off the bench in the second half with Arsenal leading 1-0. He quickly reminded everyone what they’d been missing, heading in Gabriel Martinelli’s flick at the far post in the 73rd minute.

Mikel Merino had earlier put the Gunners in front after 37 minutes, his shot taking a deflection and nestling into the corner following Ethan Nwaneri’s cut-back.

Fulham did manage a late consolation, with Rodrigo Muniz’s shot deflecting off William Saliba and wrong-footing David Raya in stoppage time. However, Arsenal held on for a crucial win, moving them to within nine points of league leaders Liverpool.

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It wasn’t all good news for Mikel Arteta’s side, though. While Saka’s return was a huge boost, there was concern over centre-back Gabriel, who limped off early in the first half. With a Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid looming next week, it’s a worrying setback.

Fulham, meanwhile, defended resolutely for much of the match but squandered a golden chance to pull one back earlier when substitute Muniz headed wide from six yards with the goal at his mercy.

Next up for Arsenal is a Premier League clash with Everton on Saturday before turning their focus to the first leg of their European showdown with Real Madrid on Tuesday.

Source | Super News Affiliate YouTube

Arsenal boosted by Saka. Can he inspire them on the biggest stage?

In the 16 Premier League matches that Saka has featured in this season, Arsenal have scored 34 goals – an average of 2.1 per game.

In the 13 games he missed, they managed just 19 goals at a rate of 1.5 per match, underlining just how vital he is to the team.

His presence lifted the entire stadium, with fans giving him a standing ovation as he warmed up in the first half.

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Arsenal had struggled to break Fulham down, a recurring theme this season, with injuries also sidelining key attackers Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus.

But when Saka was introduced, the crowd roared, and when he found the net, the Emirates erupted. Seeing him hit the ground running is a welcome sight for Arsenal fans, especially with a huge test against the reigning European champions just around the corner.

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