Mikel 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 precursor to Arsenal’s return leg against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals at the Emirates on Tuesday, with the tie poised at 1-1.
Asked what message Saturday’s win sends to rivals City, who travel to Everton on Monday, Arteta said: “It says to us and to our dressing room that we keep the dream alive.
“Now we want to use that momentum, energy, and belief towards Tuesday, and we’re going to certainly need that. And when I look at the atmosphere in the dressing room, it is tracking it in the right direction.
“It was a critical game. We knew the importance 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 happen.”
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.
“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 he needed a performance like that to impact the team, and that’s a big platform for him for Tuesday.”
Fulham manager Marco Silva revealed after the match that some of his players had been struck down with a sickness bug.
Silva said: “There was a sickness virus at the training ground and it affected some players, and staff members, too.
“But I don’t want to start the press conference like that because it looks the easy way to find excuses, and that is not my way.
“In the first half we made Arsenal’s life too easy because we were not at the level required.”