EPL: Bukayo Saka Marks Comeback with Goal as Arsenal Beat Fulham 2-0

Bukayo Saka scored on his return from injury as Arsenal secured a 2-0 victory over Fulham in the Premier League.

Bukayo Saka made a triumphant return from injury, scoring a crucial goal as Arsenal secured a 2-0 victory over London rivals Fulham at the Emirates Stadium. The win temporarily narrowed the gap to Premier League leaders Liverpool.

Arsenal's triumph extended their impressive home record against Fulham, with the Gunners now boasting 32 consecutive league games without defeat against the Cottagers (W25, D7). As Arsenal strive to keep their Premier League title aspirations alive, they can ill afford any further setbacks, having trailed leaders Liverpool by 12 points prior to kickoff.

From the outset, Arsenal demonstrated their determination, applying pressure on Fulham from the start. As the game progressed, the home side intensified their attack, with Gabriel Martinelli showcasing his pace down the left flank before Thomas Partey sent his cutback high and wide. However, Arsenal's momentum was momentarily halted when Gabriel Magalhaes was forced off with a suspected hamstring injury on the quarter-hour mark.

The disappointment of Gabriel's injury was short-lived, as the crowd's attention shifted to Bukayo Saka, who began warming up on the sidelines. Saka, Arsenal's talisman, was making his return to the matchday squad for the first time since suffering an injury in December.

The match seemed to be losing momentum, with neither team showcasing much quality, but Arsenal managed to break the deadlock just before halftime. Ethan Nwaneri made a run down the right flank and picked out Mikel Merino, who took a touch before firing a deflected shot into the far corner, catching Bernd Leno off guard. Fulham struggled to make an impact in the first half, failing to register a single shot on target.

Bukayo Saka scores on his return to secure three points for @Arsenal 🔴#ARSFUL pic.twitter.com/GkUblHSRSl

— Premier League (@premierleague) April 1, 2025

Arsenal maintained their pressure at the start of the second half, targeting the flanks. Gabriel Martinelli cut back for Martin Odegaard, but the captain's shot sailed high and wide. Fulham finally tested David Raya for the first time in the match, but Raul Jimenez's shot was parried away by the Spaniard. Jurriën Timber came close to scoring soon after, playing a neat one-two with Odegaard before seeing his shot saved at the near post by Leno.

The Emirates Stadium erupted in cheers around the hour mark as Bukayo Saka made his highly anticipated return, coming on as a substitute to make his first appearance of the year.

Saka's return to action proved to be a resounding success, as he doubled Arsenal's lead with a well-timed header. The goal was expertly crafted, with Mikel Merino's cross into the box cleverly flicked to the far post by Gabriel Martinelli, where Saka was perfectly positioned to nod the ball home.

Another winning night in N5 ✨

Enjoy the highlights from our 2-1 victory over Fulham 📺 pic.twitter.com/3qKzidDhsU

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) April 1, 2025

Fulham manager Marco Silva attempted to revitalize his team's fortunes with a series of substitutions, but despite their best efforts, the visitors were unable to mount a significant comeback. Rodrigo Muniz came agonizingly close to scoring, only to somehow head the ball wide from a mere six yards out, in a moment that encapsulated Fulham's frustrating evening.

In the end, Arsenal comfortably saw out the remainder of the match, securing a hard-fought 2-0 victory and a welcome 18th clean sheet of the season across all competitions. The win marked Arsenal's first triumph over Fulham in four meetings. Meanwhile, Fulham's primary focus now shifts to securing European qualification, with the West Londoners currently trailing sixth-placed Newcastle United by two points.