Bukayo Saka shone brightly with a goal in his comeback during the 2-1 victory against Fulham, yet Arsenal may soon see their season come to an abrupt halt following yet another significant setback...
In reality, Arsenal's chances of winning the Premier League title concluded prior to the international break.
The slim chance of something amusing occurring during what is poised to be a rather tedious conclusion hinged on Mikel Arteta’s team defeating Fulham on Tuesday night and Liverpool prolonging their ongoing two-match winless streak against Everton on Wednesday evening.
Arsenal delivered on their promise, though they didn't do so entirely convincingly…
Even with Saka's positive return to the bench following his hamstring injury, Arsenal's ongoing issues persisted, and one could easily believe – particularly during the first half – that the Fulham match felt like a meaningless fixture as a minor hurdle on the way to summer break.
As they have throughout much of this campaign, the slow and ineffective Gunners displayed a lack of urgency and played in third gear; it appeared that the home players – like everyone else – were already aware that the Premier League title race is over and saw no benefit in increasing their pace.
It's clear – just as it was a year prior – that Arsenal urgently requires a natural elite striker, yet this notion stays prominent in your mind whenever you observe this makeshift rendition of Arteta’s underperforming team.
Fulham did not enhance the situation much, as Marco Silva’s team was content to defend and easily kept Arsenal at bay, displaying little desire to counter-attack until the latter stages of the match.
There were murmurs and sighs throughout the Emirates, which disappeared as soon as the home supporters noticed Saka shifting in his seat or stepping out to stretch.
Nonetheless, the pervasive emotion in the stadium shifted to worry in the first 15 minutes when Gabriel Magalhaes sustained a hamstring injury.
Ben White was absent from this match due to a “niggle,” and Arteta will be hoping for his availability for next week’s Champions League quarter-final first leg against Real Madrid, as it would be a huge shock if Gabriel plays in either leg or any remaining matches this season after sustaining this injury.
MArsenal faced another possible setback near the match's conclusion as Jurrien Timber had to be substituted – likely as a precaution – following treatment he received before halftime.
This presents a possible nightmare for Arsenal – who faced challenges even prior to these recent setbacks – as they approach the next phase of the Champions League, but these additional problems were never going to overshadow a night that was destined to focus on Saka.
The home fans must have been eagerly anticipating the final quarter of the game for Saka’s entry, and it was a wait that paid off.
Saka entered the match after 66 minutes with Arsenal leading 1-0 thanks to Mikel Merino’s deflected goal that broke the stalemate, and just seven minutes afterwards, the England international found the net.
It wasn't the signature left-footed curling shot from distance we've come to expect from Saka, but his uncomplicated header into an unguarded net after Gabriel Martinelli’s flick-on was just as satisfying for the winger, whose team held off late pressure to secure a 2-1 victory after Rodrigo Muniz scored during stoppage time.
Saka returns with his contagious smile, and he’s set for additional minutes against Everton before – if everything goes well – he begins against Real Madrid next Tuesday.
In Saka's absence, Arsenal have appeared worryingly average and have struggled in attack, having become excessively dependent on their key player for set pieces and during open play.
Any team would feel the absence of a player like Saka, as he is an exceptional winger who has perfected the fundamentals and makes everything appear remarkably simple. He won't have the chance to develop, but he won't care since tonight demonstrates he's already aligned with Arsenal's ambitions of advancing in the Champions League resting on him.
However, despite Saka's talent, it may not suffice for Arsenal, who face the threat of being overwhelmed by Real Madrid's elite offense. Injuries to both Gabriel (and Timber as well) greatly diminish their chances of holding Carlo Ancelotti’s team at bay while aiming for a slim aggregate win, as a high-scoring two-legged tie will only be claimed by a single team.
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