Arsenal 2 Fulham 1: Saka’s Dream Return, Gabriel Injury worry and Merino tips

The title of the Premier League could be faded by the sight again, but Arsenal is at least kept honest to Liverpool leaders.

A 2-1 victory over the Fulham of visitors Tuesday, sealed by the second half of Bukayo Saka seven minutes after doing His long -awaited return from an injuryCut the Merseysiders pillow on top of the nine -point table before their game against Everton in Anfield Wednesday, with Mikel Arte’s team who currently played an extra game.

It was not a perfect-night defender to zopp at the beginning with what seemed to be a problem with the knee tendon and there was no clean sheet as Rodrigo Muniz marked in the arrest time of the second half-but this was a timely push in front of that of the next quarter of March of the Champions League, also at the Emits Stadium, against Real Madrid.

Let’s analyze the main discussion points.

Saka returns to Nick of Time

Saka is back. Seven minutes after his return to the action from the bench were welcomed with a huge roar of the crowd of the house, he earned an even bigger one bending to return home his first goal in the Premier League since November.

The long absence of England was part of a difficult period for Arsenal, one in which they came out of both national cups and saw their last challenge of the Premier League deepen. His return here, just over a week before that first leg against Madrid, will turn on some hope that there would be life still in their season.

Bukayo Saka is attacked by his teammates after the score (Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images)

While Arte ordered in her pre-match press conference that Saka was ready to start, few fans arrived at the Emirates expecting to see the 23 year old in the initial formation. For some time, Madrid’s bond has been the clear target. This week’s games against Fulham here and away against Everton on Saturday are, for Saka, to demonstrate its physical form in view of the recovery of the Champions League.

It is difficult to avoid the conclusion that the Arsenal season is now fully based on that two -legged deal against the European champions in charge of Spain.

While this was a welcome three points, there was a sense between the crowd that the most significant moments were those with branches for the bond of Madrid. Saka’s return should build such a necessary belief.

Gabriel Exit gives Arte a great headache

When a yellow card against Colombia governed Gabriel outside the second game of Brazil of the international break in March, the fans of Arsenal took a welcome stroke of luck. It meant that the central half of 27 years could return to London Colney in time well and with freshest legs.

Football can be a cruel game. Only 16 minutes after the recovery of the Premier League action last night, Gabriel went to tighten the knee tendon and wear a facial expression that suggested that his chances of facing Madrid are at most thin.

Arsenal fans will wait and hope for good news, but watching Gabriel disappear immediately along the tunnel will not have filled them with optimism.

Gabriel limps himself with a leg injury (Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

It is undoubtedly a serious blow to Arsenal, who will have hoped to rely on the defensive foundation provided by his partnership with William Saliba in the next draw of the Champions League.

In addition to the loss of Gabriel, Jurrien Timber also looked in pain at various times during this game before being withdrawn in the 77th minute. Arte later confirmed that he was fighting with a knee problem.

Fans of Arsenal will have concerns about the availability of the other defenders Riccardo Calafiori and Ben White. “He had some negligence two days ago,” said Arte by White Pre-Parita. “Yesterday we tried, he didn’t feel good, so we decided not to team him today.”

Gabriel has been replaced against Fulham by Jakub Kiwior, but if White can demonstrate his physical form in the next seven days, it could be the obvious choice of collaborating Saliba in the center of defense against Madrid.

How crucial are Merino’s goals for this team?

The quarterfinals of the Arsenal with Madrid will be a glamorous tie embellished with a serious talent striker in shape: Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo … and Merino?

The goal of the Spanish midfielder against Fulham was his fifth in eight games since he moved to the central role of coverage for the numerous Lessions of the Arsenal in forward positions. It meant that he had scored four of their last five goals in the Premier League and Merino is now having the most prolific championship campaign of his career. He is doing a great job – if Arsenal had signed an attacker in January who had had this type of impact, he would have greeted as a teacher.

Mikel Merino celebrates another goal of Arsenal (Justin Setterfield / Getty Images)

The Arsenal decision to proceed without signing a striker in that window is certainly open to criticism. Arte’s response, however, the reproduction of Merino as a makeshift plant, was rather impressive.

Merino, who also scored for Spain during the international break in March, is a lot of midfielder who does a forward job, but there are moments in which his pace and his physical presence somehow remember another high and powerful striker who played for the club together with Arte a decade ago: Olivier Giroud.

What did Arte say?

The Arsenal manager was dismayed to have collected another injury to a senior player in Gabriel, but he insists that he did not hide behind fitness problems as an excuse in the weeks of closing the season.

“You’re scratching your head,” he said. “But at the same time, it was a great learning experience for us and all coaches and staff to manage that situation. In the end, players will react to how we react to it.

“If you start sorry for yourself and say: ‘Ah, it’s impossible as we will do this’, it will be impossible. But these guys don’t give you the reason to behave like this and look where we are and we are in April.

“That’s what it is. We want so much that we will try and we are very enthusiastic for next week.”

Which after for Arsenal?

Saturday 5 April: Everton (away), Premier League, 12.30pm UK, 7.30 et

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(Photo above: Bukayo Saka celebrates; Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)