Arsenal edged past Fulham at the Emirates in a match that leaned heavily in the hosts’ favor, but late drama from the visitors added spice to an otherwise dominant Gunners display. With an xG of 2.84 to Fulham’s 0.90, the numbers told the story of a game Arsenal mostly controlled — but Fulham made sure it wasn’t comfortable till the final whistle. Saka made his return and did not disappoint, scoring a goal not long after entering the pitch, thrilling fans everywhere.

? Stat Breakdown: Arsenal in Command

The hosts outshot Fulham 15 to 7 and had nearly double the xG. Arsenal racked up 5 shots on target and 6 blocked efforts, peppering Fulham’s box with wave after wave of attacks. Fulham managed just 3 on target and only one clear-cut chance — which they buried deep in stoppage time.

Shots: Arsenal 15 – Fulham 7

xG: Arsenal 2.84 – Fulham 0.90

Touches in Box: Arsenal 37 – Fulham 15

Progressive Runs: Arsenal 29 – Fulham 13

Possession: Arsenal 53% – Fulham 47%

Arsenal showed more purpose, sharper movement in the final third, and better shot quality, averaging 0.19 xG per attempt to Fulham’s 0.129.

? Match Momentum: One-Way Traffic (Mostly)

The xG timeline painted a picture of sustained Arsenal dominance, with a steady climb from the first whistle and goals from Mikel Merino (37’) and Bukayo Saka (72’) marking key moments. Fulham offered little until the very end — Rodrigo Muniz’s 93rd-minute goal (xG 0.19) was their only real breakthrough.

This wasn’t a case of Arsenal switching off; it was more Fulham catching their breath, finding a late gear, and making things nervy. But the damage was done well before that.

? Shot Analysis: Arsenal’s Accuracy Pays Off

Arsenal’s shot map tells a tidy story — 11 shots came from inside the danger zone, with both goals arriving from central, high-value areas. Merino’s low-driven opener had an xG of just 0.15, but Saka’s close-range second (xG 0.67) was pure poacher’s instinct.

Fulham, by contrast, were wasteful. Only one of their seven shots breached Arsenal’s low block with any menace, and even their goal felt more like a consolation than a lifeline.

? Possession & Build-Up Play: Sharp Gunners, Trapped Cottagers

Arsenal’s pass map revealed a tight, technically fluid midfield core — Rice, Partey, Ødegaard, and Merino combined effectively to funnel the ball into advanced zones. There was also a strong left-sided bias via Lewis-Skelly and Martinelli, creating overloads and dragging Fulham’s defensive shape out of sync.

Fulham’s pass map showed a much deeper, more conservative structure. The bulk of their passing network sat in their own half, linking Andersen, Cuenca, and Diop repeatedly without much vertical progression. Sander Berge was the closest thing they had to a central engine, but he was often forced sideways or back under Arsenal’s press.

? Final Take

Arsenal may have made it look harder than it needed to be late on, but make no mistake — this was a well-earned three points that keeps them humming along in the top four race. Fulham had one moment, and they took it, but their lack of attacking intent until the dying embers meant they were always chasing shadows.

If Arsenal can pair this kind of control with more clinical finishing, they’ll be a headache for any team in the run-in. Fulham, meanwhile, need more bravery in possession and purpose in attack if they want to climb higher.