Match Report Fulham (0) 0-3 (3) Arsenal Premier League Match Day 27 at Craven Cottage Sunday 12th March 2023    KO: 14:00 Referee: David Coote (Nottinghamshire) Live on Sky Sports

Match Stats	Fulham	Arsenal
Goals	(0)0	3 (3)
Scorers	-	Gabriel 21
Scorers	-	Martinelli 26
Scorers	-	Odegaard 45+2
,
Goal attempts	12	15
On target	2	7
Shooting Accuracy	17%	47%
Possession	45%	55%
Passes Success	83%	87%
Corners	4	8
Tackles Success	57%	75%
Saves	4	2
Fouls	10	9
Offsides	2	2
Yellows	0	1
Reds	0	0
source: SkySports

Arsenal produced a slick attacking performance to beat Fulham 3-0 at Craven Cottage and re-establish a five-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table.

Mikel Arteta's side were under pressure to win after City's late victory at Crystal Palace on Saturday and they responded emphatically, scoring three times in a rampant first half.

All three goals were created by Leandro Trossard, with Gabriel Magalhaes (21), Gabriel Martinelli (26) and Martin Odegaard (45+2) the beneficiaries, and there was a further boost as Gabriel Jesus made his return from injury as a late substitute.

Fulham improved in the second half, forcing Aaron Ramsdale into action on a couple of occasions and rattling the bar through Aleksandar Mitrovic, but Arsenal remained a threat at the other end, with Jesus nearly marking his comeback with a goal when he was denied by Bernd Leno.

The victory ensures Arsenal maintain a healthy lead over City at the top of the Premier League, their title chase gathering momentum with a fifth consecutive win which never really looked in doubt.

Fulham came into the game having won four of their last six in all competitions but they never looked like troubling Arsenal and had no answer to their speed and incisiveness in attack.

The hosts were handed an early reprieve when Antonee Robinson's own goal was ruled out by VAR, with Martinelli found to be offside in the build-up, but Arsenal's opener arrived soon afterwards, Gabriel rising highest to head in Trossard's wicked corner.

Arsenal continued to tear into the visitors and the second goal followed swiftly, Trossard's chipped delivery into the six-yard box finding Martinelli, who easily won his header against Robinson.

Fulham offered practically nothing in the first half, apart from a dangerous Manor Solomon cross-shot and an Andreas Pereira effort that looped over following an errant pass by Aaron Ramsdale, and up at the other end Arsenal smelled blood.

Granit Xhaka should have extended their lead but a poor touch allowed his former team-mate Leno to gather the ball after the midfielder found himself through on goal following a flowing attack.

The former Arsenal goalkeeper was soon called into action again, parrying Martinelli's diagonal shot, but there was nothing he could do about Odegaard's third, Fulham's static defending leaving him exposed as the visitors ruthlessly capitalised.

Fulham improved after the break, with Pereira firing a deflected effort wide inside the first minute and Mitrovic beginning to come into the game having been kept quiet in the first half.

The Serb was inches away from pulling a goal back moments after Ramsdale had pulled off a fine save from Bobby Decordova-Reid's angled effort but his header bounced back off the woodwork.

Arsenal showed steel to keep their clean sheet intact, however, and had chances to extend their lead further in the closing stages, with substitute Jesus, lively on his first appearance since November 12, denied by the foot of Leno when through on goal.

Odegaard had a late opportunity too, blazing over from a left-wing cut-back, but the damage was long done at that point, the comfortable victory putting Arsenal one step closer to the title.

Fulham are in FA Cup action next weekend with an away tie against Manchester United on Sunday. Their next Premier League game comes against Bournemouth after the international break on April 1.

Fulham: Leno, Ream, Adarabioyo, Tete, Robinson, Solomon (James 76), De Cordova-Reid, Reed, Pereira (Wilson 76), Lukic, Mitrovic

Unused substitutes: Wickens, Vinicius, Francois, Harris, C Robinson, Rodak, Diop

Arsenal: Ramsdale, Gabriel Magalhaes, Saliba, White (Tomiyasu 80), Zinchenko (Tierney 72), Xhaka, Partey, Odegaard, Trossard (Gabriel Jesus 77), Martinelli (Vieira 77), Saka (Nelson 72)

Unused substitutes: Turner, Jorginho, Holding, Smith Rowe

Goals:
Gabriel 21 (header from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Leandro Trossard with a cross following a corner.)
Martinelli 26(header from very close range to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Leandro Trossard with a cross.)
Odegaard 45+2 (left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Leandro Trossard with a cross.)

Booked: Odegaard (74,f),

Referee: David Coote (Nottinghamshire)

Attendance: 24,426