Arsenal secured a 2-1 victory over Fulham in the Premier League on Tuesday, with stand-in striker Mikel Merino finding the net once again and Bukayo Saka marking his comeback from a three-month injury layoff with a crucial goal.
The breakthrough came eight minutes before the interval when Jurrien Timber’s clever pass unlocked the Fulham defense, allowing Ethan Nwaneri to slip through and set up Merino.
His shot took a deflection, leaving goalkeeper Bernd Leno with no chance as the ball nestled into the corner.
The Emirates Stadium erupted with excitement when Saka made his long-awaited return, and the 23-year-old wasted little time making an impact.
In the 73rd minute, he rose to meet a flicked-on cross, guiding his header into the net to double Arsenal’s advantage.
Fulham pulled one back late on through Rodrigo Muniz, but it was merely a consolation as Arsenal saw out the win. With this result, they now sit nine points behind league leaders Liverpool with eight matches left in the season.
Arne Slot’s side, however, will have an opportunity to extend their lead when they take on city rivals Everton on Wednesday.
