Viktor Gyokeres’ reaction

We controlled the game very well. It was a very good performance and an important three points.

We never stopped believing, and we’re not going to. That’s how it is. We’ll focus on the next game now. We’re on a good path but we have to stay there.

Mikel Arteta makes a point of giving Myles Lewis-Skelly – who was excellent in midfield – a big hug. Then he punches the air repeatedly, Jurgen Klopp-style, in front of the home crowd. It’s been a very good day for Arteta.

90+2 min Fulham broke four on three. King’s screws the ball across the area and Mosquera stretches to make a very important interception. Who knows, when the music stops we might reflect on that as a title-winning moment.

I’m getting carried away with goal difference, aren’t I? I just want a goal-difference shootout for once in my life.

90+1 min That’s a bit negative. This has been an excellent day for Arsenal, whose first-half performance – their most relaxed in ages – bodes well for the rest of the season.

90 min There will be four added minutes. The second half has been a bit of a non-event. I hope, for their sake, that Arsenal don’t regret that when the music stops on 24 May.

88 min Manchester City have five to play.

• Everton (A) 4 May

• Brentford (H) 9 May

• Crystal Palace (H) 13 May

• Bournemouth (A) 19 May

• Aston Villa (H) 24 May

87 min Arsenal’s remaining games – look I know you know, but some people might not know – are as follows

• West Ham (A) 10 May

• Burnley (H) 18 May

• Crystal Palace (A) 24 May

85 min Dowman turns Lukic majestically in the centre circle and heads for goal. He holds off Bassey on the edge of the D, dances back inside and screws a right-foot shot wide of the far post. No real threat to Fulham in the end but it was a charming piece of play from an unimaginably talented 16-year-old.

83 min: Arsenal substitution Cristhian Mosquera for Ben White.

78 min: Fulham substitution Smith Rowe limps off to be replaced by Jonah Kusi-Asare.

78 min: Arsenal substitution Max Dowman replaces the superb Eberechi Eze. That’s a clever idea, not just because of Dowman’s quality but because a goal from him would add to the feelgood vibe.

76 min Smith Rowe hits the side netting from a very tight angle and then flops to the turf, apparently injured. The physios are coming on.

75 min “Hi Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “Really hoping Arteta gets the ‘Yea Pep, Talk Nah’ piece of paper out of his pocket at full time...”

Blimey, I didn’t have Denesh Ramdin on my bingo card today.

73 min: Fulham substitution Rodrigo Muniz for Raul Jimenez.

72 min The corner is headed away but Fulham keep the pressure on. The ball drops kindly for Castagne, who rakes a half-volley towards goal from 17 yards. Raya is well positioned and keeps it out.

That was Fulham’s first shot on target.

71 min King is fouled just outside the area by Madueke. The free-kick is to the left of centre… and Jimenez slaps it into the wall. Cairney’s follow-up deflects behind for a corner.

69 min An animated Arteta shouts some instructions to his team, who have lost their way in the second half. No matter how mindful you are of the potential importance of goal difference, it must be so hard to play at maximum intensity when you lead 3-0.

67 min Andersen makes a last-ditch tackle on Jesus, though it wouldn’t have counted as he was fractionally offside.

66 min Lukic, on a yellow card, takes a big risk by pulling back Myles Lewis-Skelly. The referee lets him off.

Lewis-Skelly has been quietly excellent in midfield.

65 min “I’d make Arsenal pretty strong title favourites now,” writes Max Williams. “They have points on the board, the easier run in and a home match against relegated Burnley to further rack up the goals. Plus it feels a little like City got too carried away with erasing the deficit – the fan tears, Haaland smirk, etc – and might struggle to do it again, especially with the added scoreboard pressure.”

65 min: Double substitution for Arsenal No hat-trick for Gyokeres, but it’s a compliment that he’s being rested ahead of Tuesday. Declan Rice also comes off, with Gabriel Jesus and Martin Zubimendi the replacements.

64 min: Triple substitution for Fulham Tom Cairney, Josh King and Oscar Bobb replace Reed, Chukwueze and Wilson.

62 min Fulham’s passing has been better in the second half, helped no doubt by Arsenal sitting deeper and playing on the break.

60 min “Seeing this reminds me of something,” writes DAvid Howell. “Specifically, the Climate Clubs campaign a few years ago that reimagined various club badges to make a point about climate change (and raise money for relevant charities). One of those was the Fulham badge being changed to read FFS – something I’m sure fans of Manchester City would sympathise with right now.”

Arsenal’s next home game is against Burnley, which could be a test of Manchester City fans’ joie de vivre.

59 min Trossard slices a shot from the edge of the area that is easily saved by Leno.

54 min It’s not easy for Arsenal to balance the Atletico Madrid game, which begins in 73 hours, and the need to score as many as possible. We’ll have a better idea after Monday night, when Manchester City go to Everton, but there’s every chance both teams will win all their remaining league games. If so, the title will be decided on goal difference.

51 min Eze controls Madueke’s pass on the stretch and is shaping to shoot when Bassey makes a vital challenge.

49 min Smith Rowe’s near-post corner is headed across goal by Castagne, with no Fulham player able to poke it into the net.

49 min Robinson’s cross is sliced over his own bar by Saliba. Fulham have started the second half pretty well.

48 min Jimeneze has a pop from 25 yards. It’s a good effort that fades a few yards wide of the goal with Raya at full stretch.

47 min I missed a half-time substitution for Arsenal: Noni Madueke has replaced Bukayo Saka, presumably to rest the main man ahead of Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.

46 min Arsenal get the second half under way.

‘Press release’ is the subject of Charles Antaki’s email.

(Reads from piece of paper): On behalf of a significant fraction of Arsenal fans, I am prepared to consider revising my opinion of Victor Gyökeres, subject to further developments.

Half-time reading

“Rob,” writes Sean Orlowicz, “you said fighting for a title was supposed to be miserable. “I’m having a blast!!!

“(I’ve been miserable since January.)”

Arf. That first half reminds me of the title-winning sides under Wenger, who had – for a Manchester United fan – a sickening habit of being 3-0 up after 20 minutes in April and May.

Trossard led an Arsenal break with a surge through the inside-left channel. He beat his man in the area and stood up an inviting cross towards the far post. It was slightly behind Gyokeres, who showed his finishing expertise by straining his neck muscles to loop a header over Leno. He took that beautifully.

45+2 min I think this is the first time Saka has scored and created a goal all season, since 2024 in fact. If so, he’s picked a very good time to signal a return to form. The Emirates is a totally different place to the Newcastle game a week ago.

45 min Three minutes of added time. Arsenal are hunting a third before the break, which would then allow them to concentrate on goal difference in the second half. It’s an awkward thing to manage but they should be mindful of it as it may well decide the title.

44 min A delicious cross from Saliba just evades the stretching Gabriel at the far post. This is Arsenal’s most relaxed attacking performance in ages, probably since they walloped Spurs 4-1 in February.

43 min The return of Bukayo Saka has made Arsenal smile again.

In his first start for six weeks, a rejuventated Bukayo Saka has made one and scored one. Eze swept a nice pass down the right for the ever-willing Gyokeres, who held the ball up until Saka made a sudden dart infield. Gyokeres played him in with a nice reverse pass, and Saka rifled a low drive past Leno at the near post. That’s a lovely goal.

40 min Trossard chops away from a defender on the edge of the area and sweeps a daisycutter that is comfortably saved by Leno.

38 min Sounds odd to say, but Fulham might be the happier team if it’s still 1-0 at half-time. Arsenal have been much the better team and will be keen to put the game to bed before we reach the jitterzone.

37 min Wilson’s corner is cleared by Saliba, but then White loses his balance and is robbed by Lukic. His defensive mates get him out of trouble by clearing Lukic’s cross.

36 min Fulham are having a decent little spell. Calafiori gives Raya problem with a short backpass in a crowded area; Raya’s clearance hits Gabriel and ricochets behind for a Fulham corner.

35 min “I’ve never understood the criticism of Gyokeres, I have to say,” have to says Joshua Keeling. “I think he’s a very good player. Not in the absolute top rank of strikers (Haaland et al), but very few are. He’s a good finisher and gives Arsenal something different.”

I can understand it – he is a relatively limited player – but like everything it has been way over the top.

32 min Chukwueze and then Robinson have long-range shots blocked.

Hang on, he’s offside!

26 min Saka swings a typically dangerous corner into the six-yard box. Leno can’t hold it and is relieved to see the ball fall to a Fulham player.

23 min Lukic is booked for a foul on Eze. Fulham are second best at the moment.

21 min Raya makes a sliding tackle on Raul Jimenez inside the Fulham half. Ultimately it was fine, but it was a surprise to see him quite so high up the pitch. Fulham were hoping to break from an Arsenal free-kick that ultimately led to Eze having a shot blocked.

20 min Arsenal have controlled the game since going ahead, both with and without the ball. Fulham need to stay in the contest at 1-0, like Newcastle did a week ago, and wait for the nerves to kick in.

19 min “At the risk of being reductive, but the downturn in Arsenal’s form largely coincided with Bukayo Saka being injured, and generally when the best player isn’t there, a team is worse,” writes Kári Tulinius. “This is why I’m, probably foolishly, more optimistic than most other Arsenal fans of my acquaintance, because our Starboy is back.”

I don’t completely agree with that – he played the Carabao Cup final, where the blip started, and he hasn’t had a great season – but I certainly think the injury break could be a blessing in disguise for Arsenal. The way he made the goal was very 2022-25 Saka.

16 min Gyokeres’s goal was his 20th of the season in all competitions, a pretty good effort for a player who has spent much of the last nine months being criticised.

14 min Trossard shoots wide from 25 yards with his left foot. Arsnel have started well, with plenty of energy and purpose.

The goal was made superbly by Bukayo Saka, who sat Raul Jimenez down on the right wing and guided a low cross into the six-yard net. It was the kind of ball a goal poacher dreams about, and Gyokeres got across his defender to score from four yards.

8 min Lewis-Skelly skips past Reed and is fouled. He’s made a lively start in midfield.

7 min Patient play from Arsenal, probing one side and then the other. Eventually the move breaks down due to an offside, possibly against Calafiori.

6 min Both teams have started brightly in possession. Fulham have certainly come to play, and why on earth not.

4 min Chukwueze beats White through sleight of hip and hits a low cross that is booted away at the near post by Rice.

2 min Lewis-Skelly wins a header just outside the Fulham area and finds Trossard on the left side of the area. He drives a low left-foot shot across goal and wide. Not a bad effort, a bit of a range-finder.

1 min Fulham get the match under way. There’s an excellent atmosphere at the Emirates; what the home supporters would give for an early goal or three.

Marco Silva’s pre-match thoughts

I want us to express ourselves in the best way possible and to match Arsenal in every aspect of the game.

There is tension around [the Emirates] but it is a normal tension – it’s part of the game at this stage of the season.

[On the absence of Sander Berge] We’ve had a virus at our training ground. But as always it is not going to be an excuse; other players have to stand up.

“My thanks to Richard Hirst, but if we’re talking races to the grave, I’m probably a way ahead of him,” writes Charles Antaki. “So should the Arsenal men’s team fail at this Premier League hurdle, the next may be beyond my span. Today, the universe has a chance to right the wrongs of the women’s unsatisfactory performance at Lyon; but given that the universe seems to show absolutely no interest in righting wrongs of any description, and there are a few around at the moment, I’m not particularly hopeful. But, as ever, we shall see.”

Mikel Arteta’s pre-match thoughts

Some of the changes are forced. There are other reasons as well – we need a lot of energy, freshness and quality as well.

[On Myles Lewis-Skelly playing in midfield] He’s been very patient, extremely understanding about the situation and he deserves another chance. Every time he’s played, he’s done really well.

Whatever happens at the Emirates, 2 May 2026 will go down as a bad day for Arsenal Football Club. That’s because Arsenal Women, the reigning European champions, were dethroned by Lyon in a dramatic Champions League semi-final.

“Hi Rob,” writes Richard Hirst. “I sort of understand why your preamble is devoted to Arsenal (Charles Antaki, we feel your pain), but there are two teams with something to play for today. I’ve never seen Fulham win anything in my 62 years of supporting them, largely because we are the biggest team in England never to have won anything.

“I was at Wembley in 1975 and in Hamburg in 2010, a gap of 35 years. If we qualify for Europe this season and get to the final in 2027 that will be a gap of 17 years, or roughly half. So I reckon that with luck and good health I’ve got that final plus one in 2035 (half the gap again) to see Fulham win something. To that end, we need to win today; sorry Charles.”

This lack of respect for the 2002 Intertoto Cup sickens me.

We’re all painfully aware what Arsenal are playing for, but Fulham also have big ambitions for the remainder of the season.

A win at the Emirates would lift them to seventh and increases their chances of qualifying for Europe for the first time since 2011-12.

There’s plenty going on in the early Premier League games. You can follow the action with John Brewin.

Mikel Arteta has dismissed suggestions that Premier League sides are incapable of matching the levels hit by their European rivals, saying that freshness was key to Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain producing arguably the game of the season in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.

With the Arsenal manager stressing player availability will make the difference during a defining moment in the club’s history, he argued that English football’s competitiveness cannot be ignored when it comes to accusations that the quality of football has dropped.

Arsenal have fought on four fronts during a draining campaign and Arteta, whose side have a number of injury problems before they hope to boost their title chances by beating Fulham on Saturday, pointed out that the domestic dominance of PSG and Bayern ensured they were in peak condition during their thriller in Paris on Tuesday.

“When I look at that game, Bayern v PSG, it’s probably the best game I ever witnessed in the quality of two teams and especially the individual quality the players delivered, I have never seen something like this,” Arteta said. “But when I look at the amount of minutes and the freshness of those players, then I’m not surprised.”