Arsenal restored their five-point lead at the top of the Premier League with an emphatic 3-0 victory over Fulham on Sunday and carved out a small slice of top-flight history in the process.
Gabriel, Gabriel Martinelli and captain Martin Odegaard all scored in the first half as the Gunners became the first team to win five consecutive away London Derbies without conceding a single goal.
Leandro Trossard provided a trio of assists as Mikel Arteta’s side took advantage of Fulham’s porous defence at Craven Cottage.
Gabriel, who also netted his debut goal against Fulham in 2020, put Arsenal on the scoreboard in the 21st minute with a header from inside a crowded six-yard box off Trossard’s corner kick.
Trossard teed up Martinelli in the 26th minute when his cross dropped at the far post for an easy header, the Brazilian’s 12th goal of the season.
Seconds before half-time, Odegaard took two touches to control Trossard’s cross before smashing the ball past Fulham keeper Bernd Leno.
The Gunners began the day with second-placed Manchester City hot on their heels after a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on Saturday pulled the reigning champs within two points.
Brazilian Gabriel Jesus earned a roar from Gunners fans when he entered the game in the 77th minute, his first action since a knee injury suffered at the World Cup in November.
Casemiro sees red
Manchester United endured a frustrating afternoon with a 0-0 draw against bottom-placed Southampton marked by the expulsion of midfielder Casemiro.
The Brazilian was sent off in the 34th minute for a high boot against Carlos Alcaraz, giving confidence to the visitors in an entertaining game with great chances at both ends. Bruno Fernandes came closest for United in the second half with a low shot off the post.
Other results
⚫ West Ham 1 Aston Villa 1
⚫ Newcastle 2 Wolves 1
Mbappe nets winner
Paris: Paris Saint-Germain refocused on their last shot at silverware this season in Ligue 1 and beat Brest 2-1 with a late Kylian Mbappe goal on Saturday. Mbappe beat the offside trap to collect a through ball from Lionel Messi in the 90th minute and rounded goalkeeper Marco Bizot to slot into an empty net.
Bayern sail
Champions Bayern Munich bounced back from a goal down and struck four times in a powerful first half against Augsburg en route to a 5-3 victory on Saturday to go two points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.
In Naples, Napoli registered a 2-0 win over Atalanta in Serie A.
Reuters, AP/PTI