'We have missed Saka badly'

[BBC]

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I've never seen the crowd at the Emirates so raucous after the half-time whistle as it was on Saturday evening. The Gunners had blown Fulham away in the 45 minutes, scoring three excellent goals and all but sealing the three points within the first half.

Before the game, I chatted to another fan outside the ground who was absolutely convinced we'd win 4-0. I was less certain, with the nightmare of Arsenal's 2-1 home defeat against Bournemouth last month still haunting me. He was almost right, and my prediction of a narrow 1-0 win was very wrong.

When I compare and contrast these two home games there are a number of obvious differences. The return of Bukayo Saka is a clear differentiator. His goal and assist this weekend were a clear reminder of how Arsenal have got to the top of the league in the first place. We have missed him badly.

Outside of this, the game felt different as a fan. Ahead of Bournemouth, the messaging around the game had emphasised the importance of a win. It felt desperate. It was all or nothing. It was agony.

This time around, there was none of the above. The loss of the significant lead over rivals has in a way shifted the way I've watched Arsenal. There is simply no time for sitting and looking anxiously over our shoulders - there's nobody there. Arsenal have their blinkers on now, and the only way they can see is forward.