Five positives from Arsenal's impressive 3-0 Premier League win against Fulham

He took the handbrake off for Fulham and showed the world just how much firepower Arsenal boast in their locker.

Prior to this match, the Gunners had not scored more than once in any of their previous eight games in all competitions; not the most encouraging stat when you consider the prospect of this title being decided on goal difference (or indeed goals scored).

But they set the record straight here. Like last week, they broke the deadlock on nine minutes though it came in very different style – Viktor Gyokeres bringing down the style points from Eberechi Eze last week via his three-yard tap-in.

Five positives as Arsenal record an emphatic 3-0 home win against Fulham in the Premier League

Another strike from the Swede, either side of a Bukayo Saka goal, meant the match was wrapped up before half-time. It all made for an unusually comfortable night and now Arsenal hold a six-point lead over Manchester City, until Pep Guardiola's men face Everton on Monday.

Here are FIVE positives and no negatives (though a few more goals would not have hurt) from a huge Gunners win.

Positive #1: Settling the early nerves

The Emirates is a nervy backdrop these days, the tension fuelled by on-edge supporters who have all seen one too many title collapses.

Getting an early goal can help ease that sense of anxiety – even if it did not quite have that effect last week – and Arsenal obliged inside the first ten minutes as Gyokeres turned home from a Saka pass at close range.

They started like a team keen to deliver and got their just reward against a Fulham side who have so often proved hard to break down in past clashes. It brought huge relief to the ground as well as pubs and living rooms worldwide and things would only get better from there, as the Gunners effectively sealed the win after the first 45.

Fans are not used to that sort of luxury.  

Positive #2: Viktor Gyokeres finds the net again (and again)

He has chosen the perfect time to go on a goal-scoring run!

Gyokeres scored from the spot in Madrid and added two more goals here to make sure of the points for Arsenal.

Those strikes bring him to 21 goals across all competitions and show his worth to this team; he draws criticism or at least doubt, fairly so perhaps, for his struggles to link play or hold up the ball, yet there are two elite qualities he brings which no one can question: a top-class mentality and a clinical touch in front of goal.

Each of those traits have made the difference for Arsenal this week, whether it be in Madrid or versus Fulham. Furthermore, his 21 goals have helped the club so much amid the terrible injury luck that Kai Havertz has had of late, with his all-round game here being deserving of acclaim and earning him the MOTM award.

Keep it up!

Positive #3: Bold from the boss

Arteta is accused of several things: putting the handbrake on; running big names into the ground; not being proactive with his subs.

All of that was consigned to the bin.

First via the lineup. Even if Piero Hincapié likes to get forward, Riccardo Calafiori is more free-spirited and he returned from injury to start here. Then, a midfield pairing of Eze and Myles Lewis-Skelly may be viewed as more adventurous than the oft-favoured Rice/Zubimendi/Odegaard setup, while it was Leandro Trossard who got the nod at LW.

It had the expected and desired effect as Arsenal played without their usual fear from the start and it put Fulham on the back foot, culminating in the quick-fire goal and a first-half blitz which soon ended the game as a contest.

The boss also made his changes in good time, with Saka coming off at the break and both Gyokeres and Rice making way just after the hour mark – no doubt in order to keep them fresh ahead of their Atletico date in midweek

More of this please!  

Positive #4: Key players rested

There is always a fear that ‘resting’ players can mean taking your eye off the ball and not respecting the opposition.

But it worked a treat against Fulham. Regulars like Gabriel Martinelli and Hincapié were not used at all while Zubimendi enjoyed just a short run out after a marathon campaign (he looked quite fresh in his brief cameo, too).

Also, the Gunners performed without either Havertz or Odegaard in the squad; two stars that could yet be back in the frame for the return leg versus Atletico Madrid on Tuesday. What a boost it would give this squad to have them back.

Arteta trusted his squad to edge past an admittedly depleted Fulham team and they all proved their worth.

Positive #5: Arsenal do their job

No one is fooled by the six-point ‘lead’.

Arsenal are in a strong position but still have no room for error and simply had to put the pressure on Man City with a win here.

They did just that. City, of course, have their games in hand, yet points on the board is what matters and the Gunners did what they had to do; boosts for their goal difference and goals scored columns are most welcome, too.

Amid talk of nerves, the players made a mockery of their ‘bottler’ tag with a free-flowing, confident display. They now stand just three league games from glory and (technically) still have it in their own hands.

It feels incredible to have such a relaxed game like this given the stakes and recent tensions - does it mean Arsenal can get over the line?

You better believe it.

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