Bukayo Saka eases Arsenal's title tension as Premier League lead extended with comprehensive Fulham win

"The pain is gone," said Arteta. "That was always something that was restricting his capacity to deliver certain actions. Today he felt loose, he felt relaxed, and I think we had the Bukayo that we know back."

So long as he has two legs, Saka will still be able to send defenders flailing on the deck. No wonder Arsenal chose to turn down an opportunity to lob the ball into the box from a set piece, instead working it to give their No. 7 a chance to go at an isolated opponent. A struggling Antonee Robinson wouldn't have had much chance of stopping him; the best Raul Jimenez could have hoped for is that he didn't become a meme.

GYÖKERES INSIDE TEN FOR THE ARSENAL LEAD. 🫢
Viktor Gyökeres is feeling lucky with his 13th PL goal of the season. pic.twitter.com/EtpFxQboua

— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) May 2, 2026

Ah! Well. Nevertheless,

"He certainly made a difference," said Arteta. "He made two actions that decided the game, and we know what he's capable of. He's come back in the most important period of the season, and now he's fresh, his mind is fresh, his hunger is at the highest possible height, and I think he needed a performance like that to impact the team, so that's a big platform for Tuesday."

The joy of Saka at full tilt isn't merely how devastating he is, but the force multiplier effect he has on his teammates. That's the thing with the star boy, his gravitational force holds together those in orbit around him. A first assist for Viktor Gyokeres was eventually followed by the Swede, full of power in his running and commitment in the duels, laying one on for the customary drilled effort in at the near post.

Arsenal might have been further clear by then. Riccardo Calafiori had had one disallowed, would hit the bar in the second half and really did deserve one on the scoresheet. This was just the 19th Premier League start of the season for the injury-wracked Italian, whose presence in the XI invariably leads to Arsenal looking more assured in possession and more dangerous in attack. Leandro Trossard has been more available, but this was greatly improved in comparison with recent weeks. He looked fitter and stronger, his brilliant cross just before halftime looped back over the goalkeeper by Gyokeres.

This was a triumph largely built on the very simple realisation that Arsenal play better football with the best Arsenal footballers in fitness and form. There was one potentially significant wrinkle in the form of a rediscovered Myles Lewis-Skelly, deployed in the midfield position where he spent most of his academy career. No one was more secure in possession, no one passed the ball more accurately, no one drew more fouls.

The embrace between Arteta and Lewis-Skelly at the final whistle spoke to a warmth between them that has not been cooled by a frustrating season for the youngster, who has gone from starting left back to the fringes of the matchday squad. "He fully deserves it, I've been tough on him," said Arteta. "He had a spectacular season last year when he jumped into the first team, he had some difficult moments after that, but he stayed very humble, very focused, very aligned with what we wanted to do.

"I knew he was ready; he's been showing in training every day the opportunities that he had to play, he's done it, and today he really stepped up and I thought he had an incredible performance.

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Why had Arteta waited this long to give Lewis-Skelly a go in his best position?

"Because probably I don't have a clue. Maybe I should have done it earlier, I don't know. But I have to do things when I believe that the player is ready, the team is ready, and the opponent is the right one to play with him in that position, he said.

"We've done it today, it's the first time, it was a big risk because I knew what was going to happen. If it works, it's great; if we would have lost the game, I know what would have happened. 'How do you play a kid at this age, in this scenario, in a position that he hasn't played all season?' I knew that, but I had the feeling that it was the right game for him."

Given the title race that might go down to goal difference, Arteta could have been forgiven for leaving his stars out there and building on the lead. Then again, Tuesday brings the second leg of the Champions League semifinal against Atletico Madrid (live on Paramount+) and they have just rotated their whole team. When Saka did not make it back out for the second half, it was clear which way Arteta was leaning. Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze, Gyokeres and Ben White all got to put their feet up.

The substitutes didn't ask anything like the same questions of Fulham but we have seen this game often enough from Arsenal's title rivals to know that the rest is often as precious as the extra goals. After all, the next three opponents all sit below a Fulham side who are still in the top half, who might just have concluded they'd have been better off confining themselves to the sick bay.

That is what Saka and Arsenal can do to you when they find their rhythm. When they do, the Emirates starts bouncing again.