3 standout Arsenal players from 2-1 victory over Fulham

Arsenal beat Fulham 2-1 for a happy return to Premier League action, even if the Gunners made harder work of the game than they should have. Fortunately, three attacking players made the difference.

None more so than Bukayo Saka, who marked his comeback from injury with a goalscoring, 20-plus minute cameo. Saka got on the scoresheet just under seven minutes after entering the fray to pad a lead given to Arsenal by makeshift striker Mikel Merino in the first half.

Merino found the net thanks to some typically enterprising work from the player who's replaced Saka during most of the latter's injury layoff. Ethan Nwaneri was all inventiveness and cutting edge for 67-ish minutes.

His latest star turn should have told Mikel Arteta there needs to still be a place for Nwaneri, even when Saka is back up to full speed. Speaking of full speed, Gabriel Martinelli hit the accelerator at will during a talismanic display on the wing.

Martinelli tormenting Fulham right-back Timothy Castagne helped the Gunners stay on the front foot. While there should have been more goals to render Rodrigo Muniz's injury-time finish less of a factor, Arsenal picked the ideal time to flex some attacking muscle before facing Real Madrid in the last eight of the UEFA Champions League.

1. Bukayo Saka

It's chilling to think about exactly where the vaunted Arteta "project" would be without Saka. Inheriting a player whose rise had already well and truly begun on Unai Emery's watch gave Arteta a rising talent with the potential to become world class.

The manager has since worked that potential for all it's worth. He's created an over-reliance on Saka that may well have led to the hamstring problem that's laid him low for so long.

Here's the thing, though. Arteta needs to rely heavily on Saka because the latter is the lone player in this squad who scares defences. Martinelli is capable, but it's Saka who usually provides the telling contributions.

So it proved when he got to Martinelli's headed flick and finished smartly on 73 minutes. The goal allowed Saka to match numbers last achieved by a certain Alexis Sanchez, Arsenal's best player since Thierry Henry (deal).

Having Saka back among the goals ahead of facing Real is the boost Arsenal need. So are the signs of recovery from another wide man.

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