Arsenal 2-1 Fulham: Saka marks return from injury with winner

Bukayo Saka scored on his return from injury as Arsenal beat Fulham 2-1 at Emirates Stadium.

Saka had been out with a hamstring injury since December but marked his comeback with a goal from the bench.

Gabriel Martinelli flicked Mikel Merino’s 73rd-minute cross onto Saka, whose close-range header proved to be decisive.

Arsenal lost Gabriel Magalhaes to injury early on but went ahead through Merino in the 37th minute.

Saka doubled the Gunners’ advantage when he headed home seven minutes after coming on midway through the second half.

It looked comfortable for the Gunners following Saka’s goal, until Rodrigo Muniz headed wide when presented with a glorious chance following fine work from former Arsenal playmaker Alex Iwobi.

Muniz made matters interesting, though, when he dragged home in the 94th minute, though it was a case of too little, too late for the visitors, who only mustered 0.81 expected goals throughout compared to Arsenal’s 2.31.

Second-place Arsenal moved within nine points of Premier League leaders Liverpool, while Fulham remain in eighth, four points outside the top four, with European football still a very real possibility.

Back-to-back wins in N5 pic.twitter.com/oywhMsy8Oo

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) April 1, 2025

Data Debrief: Makeshift Merino fills in but Saka’s return timely

With Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz and, until recently, Bukayo Saka all sidelined with injury, Merino has stepped up as an able deputy up front.

The Spain international has been playing a makeshift centre-forward role for Mikel Arteta and has now netted his sixth Premier League goal for Arsenal this season, his most in a single campaign in his league career.

Of Merino’s seven Premier League goals (six for Arsenal, one Newcastle), six have given his side the lead in a match, while he has scored the winning goal in four of the five Premier League games in which he has scored at least once, the only exception being Arsenal’s 2-2 draw with Liverpool in October this season.

With Saka now back from injury, Arteta’s attacking woes have been significantly eased. His 68th goal for Arsenal in all competitions was his first for the club as a substitute.

He has now been involved in 23 goals in all competitions this season (10 goals, 13 assists). Indeed, he is the third Premier League player to record 10+ goals and 10+ assists in each of the last three seasons, along with Mohamed Salah and Bruno Fernandes.