Arsenal 4-1 Fulham: Gunners ease to New Year’s Day win against relegation strugglers

Arsenal 4-1 Fulham: Gunners ease to New Year’s Day win against relegation strugglers
Arsenal recovered from their thrashing at Liverpool by seeing off lowly Fulham at the Emirates Stadium – with Aaron Ramsey coming off the bench to wrap up the three points.The Gunners were humbled by a 5-1 mauling at Anfield and still looked timid at times as Fulham missed a number of decent chances before Unai Emery’s side ran out comfortable 4-1 winners.Goals from Granit Xhaka, Alexandre Lacazette, substitute Ramsey and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang added gloss to the scoreline, with Fulham’s lone strike coming from Aboubakar Kamara.3

Chelsea can restore their five point lead over Arsenal on Wednesday evening

Emery replaced Lacazette with Ramsey, who has reportedly opened talks with a string of top European clubs about a summer move when his contract at Arsenal expires, and the Wales international scored a crucial third to give the hosts breathing space.Arsenal should have been ahead inside three minutes as a nice move saw Xhaka feed Alex Iwobi, whose low cross was flashed over the crossbar from close range by Aubameyang.But the sort of lacklustre first-half display that has become strangely synonymous with Emery’s first half-season in charge soon followed.Fulham, with just two points and six goals on their travels, wasted two glorious chances to take an unexpected lead. Ryan Sessegnon was the man who spurned both opportunities, firstly curling a shot wide after breaking in behind Arsenal’s defence before fluffing his lines when picked out at the back post by Andre Schurrle.Just moments later and Fulham were made to pay for their profligacy as Xhaka turned home Iwobi’s cross from six yards out after drifting into the box unmarked.Claudio Ranieri’s side were still afforded chances by an Arsenal defence which showed how it had been so easily breached at Liverpool, goalkeeper Bernd Leno on hand to keep out Aleksandar Mitrovic’s header.If Leno’s first telling stop of the day was solid, his counterpart Sergio Rico made a spectacular save at the other end soon after to prevent Xhaka grabbing a second.Iwobi was impressing down the left and almost created another goal for the Gunners, only for Aubameyang to head inches wide as he connected with a cross to the near post.Rico was then alert to prevent Lacazette adding the second before the interval as he turned his strike behind.Emery’s side needed less than 10 second-half minutes to double their lead, Lacazette on the spot to finish Sead Kolasinac’s cut-back.3

Lacazette netted his seventh league goal of the season

The France striker passed up a fine chance to grab a third as he struck a shot too close to Rico before having a penalty shout turned down after a challenge from Fulham substitute Jean Michael Seri.Mitrovic headed straight at Leno as Fulham looked for a way back into the game, which came as Kamara arrived at the back post to sweep home Sessegnon’s cross just nine minutes after his introduction off the bench – a moment the forward would have enjoyed after he missed a penalty he was not supposed to have taken in the recent win over Huddersfield.Arsenal felt Lucas Torreira had been fouled by Seri in the build-up but referee Graham Scott was unmoved and the visitors were back in the contest.Emery’s decision to replace Lacazette with Ramsey was met with widespread jeers from the home support, with Arsenal seemingly holding on.But the Spaniard’s decision was vindicated when Ramsey hit the third, reacting to Aubameyang hitting the post by sweeping in the rebound.The result was assured when Aubameyang rifled home a deflected shot for his 14th Premier League goal of the campaign.3

Aubameyang remains the Premier League’s leading goalscorer

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Swansea Vs Manchester City Swansea City host the first of the New Years Day fixtures when Manchester City visit The Liberty Stadium. The Swans registered a point in their last game at Aston Villa.
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Southampton took a big step in direction of Premier League survival with a 1-Zero win which will increase the relegation issues of south coast rivals Brighton. Saints captain Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg earned the guests victory on the Amex Stadium by scoring his first purpose since December early within the second half.
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Arsenal put their 5-1 defeat against Liverpool behind them as they returned to winning ways with a comfortable win against strugglers Fulham. Sportsmail's Kieran Gill provides player ratings. 58
Why missing out on top four could be exactly what Arsenal

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Arsenal 4-1 Fulham: Gunners ease to New Year's Day win against relegation strugglers Unai Emery's side have closed the gap on fourth placed Chelsea to just two points By talkSPORT
Arsenal 4-1 Fulham: Gunners ease to New Year's Day win

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Adams will take Norwich to a relegation clash against Fulham before facing Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal. Hughton would have struggled to keep the Canaries in the Premier League with that fixture list and so much negativity around Carrow Road.
Brighton vs Southampton result: Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg goal

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Arsenal 4-1 Fulham: Gunners ease to New Year's Day win

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Arsenal 4-1 Fulham: Gunners ease to New Year's Day win against relegation strugglers Written by: fpnews Posted on: January 1, 2019 Arsenal recovered from their thrashing at Liverpool by seeing off lowly Fulham at the Emirates Stadium - with Aaron Ramsey coming off the bench to wrap up the three points.
Arsenal 4-1 Fulham: Gunners ease to New Year's Day win

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There was much to work on at Arsenal but they were getting the rub of the green in this transitional period. There were signs of promise and the free-flowing football of old in the games against Leicester City and Fulham. A new approach to big games was taken in matches against Liverpool and a season-high home victory against Spurs.
Opposition Scout Report: Fulham - Gooner Now
goonernow.co.uk/arsenal-fixtures/opposition-scout-report-fulham/5438/
In fact, Fulham have won only one of the last 12 head to heads in all competitions and have remarkably never won on Arsenal's home soil. Expect the Gunners to banish that Liverpool memory and get the new year off to a bang with a 3-1 home win.
Alexandre Lacazette News, Stats and Goals | Daily Mail Online

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Gunning easy Unai Emery's side have closed the gap on fourth placed Chelsea to just two points Arsenal recovered from their thrashing at Liverpool by seeing off lowly Fulham at the Emirates Stadium - with Aaron Ramsey coming off the bench to wrap up the three points. The Gunners were humbled by a 5-1 mauling…
Arsenal Season Report | 2018/2019 - El Arte Del Futbol

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Arsenal are sixth in the Premier League table and seven points adrift of a Champions League place, with eight league games left to play this season. Theo Walcott suggested after the Palace defeat that the Eagles wanted to win more than the Gunners, adding to the pressure being heaped on the 67-year-old Wenger.