Impressive Arsenal blank Fulham 3-0

LONDON, England (AP):

Chants of “We’re gonna win the league” boomed out of Arsenal’s gleeful away contingent of fans at one end of Craven Cottage as their team piled up the goals against Fulham.

It is getting increasingly hard to argue against it.

Indeed, judging by their latest stylish victory, Arsenal’s players showed that they might even be embracing the pressure of capturing a first Premier League title since 2004.

They cut through Fulham time and again in a 3-0 win yesterday to re-establish a five-point lead over second-place Manchester City, the reigning champions.

Eleven games remain for both clubs in what is surely now a two-team race for the title.

That is because third-place Manchester United dropped 16 points off the pace with a 0-0 draw at home to last-place Southampton, who failed to fully capitalise on a first-half red card to United midfielder Casemiro.

It was the Brazil midfielder’s second sending-off in his last three league games and will earn him a four-match ban – three of them to be served in the league. Given his importance, United could be vulnerable to the teams just below them.

Newcastle are one of them. The northeast club ignited their ambitions for Champions League qualification by beating Wolverhampton 2-1, ending a five-match winless run in the league.

Newcastle moved six points behind Man United in fifth place and have a game in hand. The two teams meet at St James’ Park this month, too.

SLICK ARSENAL

Three goals in a 26-minute burst in the first half saw Arsenal overwhelm Fulham, a week after the leaders needed a dramatic strike in the seventh minute of stoppage time to beat lowly Bournemouth at home.

Gabriel Magalhães, Gabriel Martinelli, and Martin Odegaard were the scorers in Arsenal’s fifth straight win, which was made much more comfortable by the absence of Fulham’s suspended midfielder Joao Palhinha.

Leandro Trossard – a January signing who has quickly fitted in – benefited most from the extra space that Palhinha’s absence allowed, providing the assist for all three goals.

City had applied pressure on Mikel Arteta’s team by winning 1-0 at Crystal Palace on Saturday, briefly reducing the gap to two points.

There was further good news for Arsenal, with Brazil striker Gabriel Jesus coming off the bench in the 77th for his first appearance since undergoing surgery on December 6 on a medial collateral ligament injury sustained during the World Cup.

“A perfect win,” was how Trossard described it.

ANGRY TEN HAG

Man United manager Erik ten Hag could find himself in trouble after his criticism of referee Anthony Taylor following the draw with Southampton.

“This game was influenced by the referee,” Ten Hag said after seeing Casemiro get another red card, this time for a studs-up challenge on Carlos Alcaraz that initially earned him a yellow card.

Taylor changed it to a red after the VAR advised him to look at the incident again on the pitchside monitor.

Southampton hit the goal frame through James Ward-Prowse – off a trademark curling free kick – and Kyle Walker-Peters, while United midfielder Bruno Fernandes had a long-range shot tipped on to the post by Southampton goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu.

United moved two points clear of fourth-place Tottenham and have a game in hand.

Southampton stayed in last place. The bottom nine teams in the league are separated by just five points.