Fulham 1 Arsenal 5: Alexandre Lacazette’s brilliant double sets Gunners on their way to a NINTH successive win
The French striker gave the Gunners the lead before the Cottagers hit back just before half-time but three goals in the second half were enough
AARON RAMSEY scored a brilliant third goal – and the away fans started singing ‘We’ve got our Arsenal back’.
And for everyone involved at the club, particularly Arsene Wenger’s successor Unai Emery, this would have meant a hell of a lot.
This is now nine wins in a row for Emery and his blossoming team.
Although having become more pragmatic compared to previous seasons, Arsenal delivered a sparkling offensive display which Wenger would have been proud of.
Alexandre Lacazette’s opening goal was cancelled out just before the break by Andre Schurrle but in the second half, Arsenal demolished their hosts with embarrassing ease.
Lacazette grabbed an impressive second, Ramsey scored with a flick 38 seconds after coming on and fellow sub Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the last two.
At half-time, there were certainly no signs this would end up as a battering.
Arsenal keeper Bernd Leno needed to be alert in the third minute when he clawed away a shot from Luciano Vietto which deflected off Rob Holding. The chance came after an initial mistake from Hector Bellerin.
Meanwhile, Arsenal had rarely threatened but Lacazette was looking sharp – and he opened the scoring just before the half-hour mark.
He was involved in the build-up, Alex Iwobi and Nacho Monreal combined well and Lacazette delivered an excellent finish on the turn.
Schurrle sent an effort flashing over the bar but his second strike soon after was much better.
Monreal lost possession to Andre-Frank Zambo Abguissa, Luciano Vietto slipped the ball to Schurrle and he lifted the ball over Leno with a first-time shot.
In the second half, Bellerin was denied by an excellent save from Marcus Bettinelli but Lacazette got his second soon after - out of nowhere.
It came after a long punt upfield, Lacazette got away from Tim Ream and the Frenchman produced an outstanding finish from outside the area.
Fulham sub Aboubakar Kamara should have made it 2-2 with a header but he failed to get a decent connection. That proved to be a key moment.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang beefed up Arsenal’s attack as a replacement for Danny Welbeck while Iwobi, who had enjoyed a decent game, was replaced by Ramsey – who then scored an outrageous goal.
He played a part in the flowing move, with Lacazette, Bellerin and Henrikh Mkhitaryan also involved.
Aubameyang delivered the cross and Ramsey, with his heel, flicked the ball into the corner past a stranded Bettinelli.
Aubamayeng made it a rout, scoring on the turn after Bellerin was given too much space down the right. Maxime Le Marchand also gave Aubameyang too much room.
Aubameyang got behind the same Fulham player again and buried the ball into the corner for five after a neat pass from Ramsey.
This was certainly Emery’s best day since taking over and he is probably cursing the international break.