Arsenal 4 Fulham 1: Aubameyang on target as Gunners return to winning ways

Arsenal started 2019 with a morale-boosting win following their hammering at the hands of Liverpool, recording a 4-1 triumph over struggling Fulham at Emirates Stadium.

A visit from the Premier League’s 19th-placed side offered welcome respite for the Gunners after their 5-1 reverse at Anfield, though they did not have it all their own way before Granit Xhaka’s 25th-minute opener.

The recalled Alexandre Lacazette doubled the lead early in the second half before Fulham hit back with a tap-in from substitute Aboubakar Kamara after 69 minutes.

However, it was another replacement who finished off Fulham’s hopes of picking up a point, Aaron Ramsey converting a rebound after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had hit a post, though the latter did go on to score his 14th league goal of the campaign.

The final scoreline flattered Arsenal, who papered over the cracks in their defence by scoring two late goals.

6 – Arsenal have won all six of their home Premier League games on New Year’s Day. Celebration. pic.twitter.com/qQVZS3HaRo

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 1, 2019

Ryan Sessegnon twice wasted opportunities to put Fulham in front, missing the target with a curling left-footed shot when clean through before failing to make any contact at the back post when picked out by Andre Schurrle’s inviting cross.

The let-offs allowed Arsenal to open the scoring instead, Xhaka’s run from deep seeing him control Alex Iwobi’s cross on his knee and steer a left-footed volley beyond Sergio Rico.

Fulham’s Spanish goalkeeper denied Lacazette late in the first half but could do little to prevent the French striker capping off excellent work by Aubameyang and Sead Kolasinac 10 minutes after the break.

Sessegnon’s low cross allowed Kamara to make amends for his penalty miss last time out against Huddersfield Town, the forward having defied team orders to take the kick in a 1-0 win, but Arsenal overcame the wobble to ease over the line.

Ramsey restored the two-goal cushion and Aubameyang added another four minutes later, his drive taking a deflection to beat Rico and put him one clear of Mohamed Salah in the scoring charts.

What does it mean? Defensive frailties continue to undermine both teams

Arsenal conceded 14 league goals during December – their most in a calendar month since April 1979 – and their defensive issues were once again exposed.

Not even a half-time switch to four at the back helped steady the ship, albeit they were aided by relegation-threatened Fulham being just as bad, if not worse, in the same department.

“I need a clean sheet like I need pasta,” Claudio Ranieri stated before the festive fixtures. His appetite was sated with recent shut-outs against Newcastle United and Huddersfield Town, but his side were too easily cut open on Tuesday.
 

Auba back in the thick of it

After having just 13 touches during his 71 minutes on the pitch against Liverpool – and six of those were kick-offs – Aubameyang was far more involved on home turf.

The striker wasted two excellent opportunities in the first half but had a hand in Arsenal’s second and third goals before eventually grabbing one himself.
 

No.14 @Aubameyang7 #ARSFUL pic.twitter.com/9BQFsWBoaj

— Premier League (@premierleague) January 1, 2019

Sessegnon fails to take his chances

Fulham may need to consider sending the England Under-21 international to a finishing school.

His pace caused Arsenal problems throughout and while he did lay Kamara’s goal on a plate in the second half, those two key misses before the break let a nervy home team off the hook.
 

Key Opta Facts:

– Arsenal have scored 10 Premier League goals this season courtesy of substitutes, more than any other team.
– Ranieri has never won a top-flight match against Arsenal in 11 attempts (D4 L7) and has a worse points-per-game ratio against the Gunners (0.36) than against any other PL opponent.
– Arsenal have kept just one clean sheet in their last 14 Premier League games.
– Xhaka has scored three Premier League goals in 20 appearances for Arsenal in 2018-19 – as many as in his previous two seasons combined (3 in 70 games).
– Three of Lacazette’s seven Premier League goals for Arsenal this season have come against Fulham.
– Sokratis registered an assist for the first time in his last 120 games in Europe’s big five leagues (since April 2014, Borussia Dortmund v Bayern Munich).

What’s next?

The Premier League takes a break as it is FA Cup duty next for the top-flight clubs. Arsenal head to the north-west coast to take on League One Blackpool on Saturday, while Fulham host third-tier Oldham the following day at Craven Cottage.