Saka makes a triumphant return from injury, netting a goal as Arsenal triumphs over London rivals Fulham.

Arsenal narrowed the gap to Premier League leaders Liverpool with a commanding 2-0 victory over Fulham at the Emirates Stadium, extending their unbeaten home league run against the Cottagers to 32 matches (W25, D7).

If the Gunners are to maintain their hopes of claiming their first Premier League title in over 20 years, they cannot afford any further missteps. They entered the match needing to make up a 12-point deficit to Liverpool, and the home side wasted no time in demonstrating their determination.

After an uneventful start, Arsenal began to assert themselves, with Gabriel Martinelli showcasing his speed down the left flank. However, Thomas Partey sent his cutback over the bar.

Things took a turn for the worse for Mikel Arteta’s side on the 15-minute mark when Gabriel Magalhaes had to be substituted due to a suspected hamstring issue.

Fortunately for the Gunners, the mood lifted when Bukayo Saka emerged from the bench to warm up, making his matchday squad return after a lengthy absence since December.

The game seemed to lose momentum as quality play dwindled, but just before half-time, the hosts found the net through Mikel Merino, who was stepping in as a makeshift striker. Ethan Nwaneri made a dart down the right and curled a pass to Merino, who took a touch and struck a deflected shot into the far corner, leaving Bernd Leno stranded.

Fulham struggled to find their footing in the first half, not managing a single shot on target under the watchful eye of Marco Silva.

The second half began with Arsenal pressing the flanks yet again, with Martinelli setting up Martin Ødegaard, who unfortunately shot over the bar.

It wasn’t until ten minutes after the break that Fulham finally tested David Raya, but Raul Jimenez’s attempt was easily saved by the Spanish keeper.

Jurriën Timber almost added to the scoreline, combining well with Ødegaard before Leno turned his effort away at the near post.

Around the hour mark, the home crowd erupted as Saka made his anticipated return to action.

The England international made an instant impact, doubling Arsenal’s advantage. Merino’s cross was deftly flicked by Martinelli to the far post, where Saka was on hand to nod in.

In a bid to find a response, Silva made substitutions; Rodrigo Muniz nearly made a significant impact, but shockingly missed the target from just six yards out.

As the match drew to a close, Arsenal comfortably managed the closing minutes to secure their first victory in this head-to-head encounter in four matches, marking their 18th clean sheet of the season across all competitions.

After their exit from the FA Cup, Fulham will now focus on their aspirations of qualifying for European competition, sitting just two points adrift of sixth-placed Newcastle United.