Mikel Arteta: Arsenal Keep the Dream Alive After Fulham Rout
Arteta told reporters the win showed the dressing room to keep believing. He called it one of Arsenal’s best first-half performances of the season. Saka, Gyokeres, and Rice were subbed early ahead of Tuesday’s European tie.
Arsenal are six points clear with four or five games left to play. Arteta said the team must use the momentum for the Atletico Madrid second leg...
Mikel Arteta said Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Fulham on Saturday kept their Premier League title hopes alive, describing it as a result that sustains the belief in the squad.
Speaking to reporters, Arteta stated: “It says to us and to our dressing room that we keep the dream alive.”
“What these guys have done, not now but throughout the season, to win that many games in the circumstances that we had to do it, without so many players available at times, is remarkable.”
Arsenal looked sharp going forward and dismantled Fulham before half-time, with Bukayo Saka back from injury in form and summer signing Viktor Gyökeres producing what may have been his most complete display for the club so far.
The campaign had threatened to unravel after a League Cup final loss to Manchester City in March, followed by an FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Southampton that ended any chance of a quadruple.
Consecutive league defeats, including the second against City, let Arsenal’s rivals seize control, and they dropped off top spot for the first time since October when City beat Burnley last week.
💬 “I can't wait. I saw the energy now in the dressing room and we are all ready for it.”
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) May 2, 2026
Mikel on tonight’s win and taking the next step on Tuesday evening 👇
Despite losing only three of their first 49 games across all competitions, four defeats in eight matches raised questions about Arsenal’s mentality and whether they could add to the 2020 FA Cup, still Arteta’s only major trophy.
Arsenal put recent stumbles and the effort from Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final first leg against Atlético Madrid behind them, moving six points clear at the top with a composed 3-0 win over Fulham.
They started fast on Saturday and took an early lead, never letting Fulham back into it. The strong start created a positive mood at the Emirates that lifted the players, Arteta said.
“When you feel that connection with them (the fans), we are much, much better,” he said. “And I know that it has to come from us.
“It certainly came from us today, but we need to do it somehow, even when the team is not giving it probably the right reasons.”
The Gunners had the game wrapped up by half-time in what Arteta called one of their best first-half displays of the season. That let him rest key players ahead of Tuesday’s visit from Atlético, with Saka coming off at the break and Gyökeres and Declan Rice withdrawn around the hour.
Arteta said Arsenal must carry the confidence from Saturday’s win into Tuesday’s game, with four, and possibly five, matches standing between them and a memorable finish.
“Use that momentum, energy, belief towards Tuesday,” he said. “We're going to certainly need that.
"When I look at the atmosphere in the dressing room, I think it's striking in the right direction.”
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