04/05/2026

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FROM LEFT: Viktor Gyokeres, Bukayo Saka and Mikel Arteta react during Arsenal’s win over Fulham at the Emirates Stadium yesterday. – REUTERSPIC

All Guns blazing Win over Fulham keeps Premier League title dream alive for Arsenal, says Arteta

M IKEL ARTETA hailed Arsenal’s Premier League dream as alive and kicking after his side reclaimed the title race “momentum” from Manchester City with a 3-0 win over Fulham. Viktor Gyokeres scored either side of a Bukayo Saka strike to fire the Gunners to a three goal advantage before half-time at the Emirates Stadium. Although Arsenal did not add to their tally in the second half, the statement win in the heat of the championship battle takes Arteta’s men six points clear of City – albeit having played two games more – with just three matches to go as they chase their first title in 22 years. The victory also acted as the perfect precur sor to Arsenal’s return leg against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semifinals at the Emirates on Tuesday (Wed 3am Malaysian time), with the tie poised at 1-1. Asked what message yesterday’s win sends to rivals City, who travel to Everton tomorrow (3am), Arteta said: “It says to us and to our dress ing room that we keep the dream alive. “Now we want to use that momentum, energy, and belief towards Tuesday, and we’re us and to our dress eam alive. that momentum, Tuesday, and we’re

tures are more favourable. I think they will win every game and Man City will slip up. “I can see Arsenal being quite comfortable. They have been fantastic and top of the league most of the season. City’s fixtures are all quite congested.” Hart, though, disagrees. A two-time title win ner with City in 2012 and 2014, he said: “I don’t care who Arsenal will lose to, I look at Man City and their spine is so long. “It is full of multiple winners like Gianluigi Donnarumma. I am talking Rodri, Bernardo (Silva), Haaland. That is the spine I want to be part of. I think they will do whatever needs to be done.” Former England midfielder Jamie Redknapp added on Sky Sports : “If it goes to goal difference, I see Arsenal have the big advantage when you look at the games. “But we are all guessing. Man City could blow teams away, anything could happen. I think Arsenal are favourites, but I don’t think they are 80% favourites. “For City, the games are coming thick and fast and Mikel can look after his players just that little bit more.” – The Independent/Agencies tes. , the games are coming thick and fast an look after his players just that little The Independent/Agencies number:

“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 possi ble height, and he needed a performance like that to impact the team, and that’s a big platform for him for Tuesday.” Five-time Premier League winner Wayne Rooney believes Arsenal are now the definitive favourites to end their 22-year title wait, while former City keeper Joe Hart expects his old club to be triumphant. After their Champions League return tie against Atleti, they visit strugglers West Ham on Sunday, face relegated Burnley at home on May 19, before travelling to Crystal Palace in the final game on May 24. After tomorrow’s game against Everton, City take on Brentford away, Crystal Palace at home, eighth-placed Bournemouth away and Aston Villa, currently in fifth spot, at home on the final day. Who wins the title remains anyone’s guess, but Rooney told BBC Match of the Day the Gunners will be lifting the trophy and even pre dicted it could be by a “comfortable five points”. “I think Arsenal will win it,” he said. “The fix BBC Match Gunners will be lifting the trop dicted it could be by a “comfor “I think Arsenal will win it,”

going to certainly need that. And when I look at the atmosphere in the dressing room, it is track ing it in the right direction. “It was a critical game. We knew the impor tance of the win, and the manner that we’ve done it, and the goal difference in the Premier League, and because this game was going to carry a lot of energy towards the next match. “Now we have one of the biggest games in the history of this stadium on Tuesday in front of our people, and we’re going to try to make it hap pen.” Saka, back in the starting line-up for the first time since Arsenal’s defeat to City in the Carabao Cup final on March 22 following an Achilles injury, was the inspiration behind his side’s statement win. He provided Gyokeres’ ninth-minute opener and then doubled Arsenal’s advantage with a fine finish in the 40th minute. And Arteta continued: “He certainly made a difference. He made two actions that decided the game and we know what he’s capable of. “The pain from his (Achilles) injury is gone. Today he felt loose, he felt relaxed, and we had the Bukayo that we know back. game and we “The pain Today he felt the Bukayo th ne. had

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