Arsenal opened up a six-point lead at the top of the ​Premier League on Saturday with a ‌comfortable 3-0 win at home to Fulham, thanks to a first-half double from Viktor Gyokeres ​either side of a goal from ​Bukayo Saka.

The Gunners started brightly and ⁠with purpose, taking a deserved lead ​in the ninth minute when Saka put ​Raul Jimenez on his backside and laid the ball on a plate for Gyokeres to slot ​home.

Gyokeres returned the favour shortly before ​halftime, finding Saka, who beat former Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd ‌Leno ⁠at his near post to double the lead, before Gyokeres headed in Leandro Trossard’s cross in added time.

Arsenal played within ​themselves in ​a ⁠sedate second half having wrapped up a win that puts them ​on 76 points from 35 ​games, ⁠with second-placed Manchester City on 70 points from 33 games. Fulham are 10th with ⁠48 ​points from 35 games, ​three points behind west London rivals Brentford in sixth.

-Reuters

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Arsenal arrested their slump in form with Eberechi Eze’s superb early goal securing an ugly 1-0 home win against Newcastle United to reclaim top spot in ​the Premier League on Saturday.

After successive league defeats to Bournemouth and Manchester City, Arsenal were knocked off the summit for the first ‌time since October by City on Wednesday, but they responded to secure three vital points.

It was far from convincing, and the quality of Eze’s sublime ninth-minute strike was at odds with the rest of a laboured display by Mikel Arteta’s side, but all that mattered for the hosts was getting back to winning ways.

The nervousness around the stadium was apparent throughout a tight contest and ​there was relief when Newcastle substitute Yoane Wissa blazed a glorious late chance over the crossbar.

With Manchester City otherwise engaged in FA Cup semi-final action, Arsenal took the chance to ​move to 73 points from 34 games with City on 70 from 33.

“It’s never going to be a path of roses,” ⁠Arteta said. “We knew at halftime we wanted to score the second goal but we were not efficient enough. But we did the job.”

Newcastle’s fourth successive ​league defeat, and 13th in their last 14 league visits to Arsenal, left them in 14th place and with pressure mounting on Eddie Howe, although he said he was pleased with ​his side’s improved display.

“I can’t be too critical of the players today, it was a much better performance,” Howe said.

Arsenal’s stuttering run in the past month began with a tame League Cup final defeat by Manchester City followed by a surprise loss to second-tier Southampton in the FA Cup.

But it was the back-to-back league defeats and the evaporation of ​a nine-point lead in the title race that has really spooked Arsenal as they try to land a first Premier League crown since 2004.

ARSENAL SCORE FROM ​ANOTHER SET-PIECE

While Saturday’s performance will hardly have had Manchester City quaking in their boots, what is not in dispute is Arsenal’s ability to capitalise from set-piece routines.

Eze’s goal ‌was the ⁠17th Arsenal have scored from a corner this season — a Premier League record — but this was a variation on the usual routine.

Twice in the opening minutes they used a short corner rather than the usual high delivery into the area. The first two had little effect although Eze did fire a shot wide from the second.

When another corner came along soon after, the ball was played low into the area to Kai Havertz, who fed it back to Eze ​just outside the penalty area and in ​one flowing movement he curled a ⁠right-footed shot away from the helpless Nick Pope.

It should have settled Arsenal’s nerves and made for a comfortable Spring evening against a labouring Newcastle whose season has hit the buffers.

In reality, it was never comfortable. Arsenal were strangely ​passive throughout the rest of the first half and Newcastle occasionally threatened, with Sandro Tonali’s dipping low drive almost ​catching out David Raya.

⁠Havertz limped off in the first half to be replaced by Viktor Gyokeres and Eze departed early in the second half.

“Muscular niggles, we don’t think they are too much,” said Arteta, whose side face Atletico Madrid on Wednesday in a Champions League semi-final first leg.

With Arsenal seemingly unable, or unwilling, to kill off the game, the ⁠anxiety levels ​grew in the latter stages and had Wissa shown more composure with the goal gaping, Arsenal ​would have handed another gift to City.

On the plus side, they showed commendable durability, Bukayo Saka returned off the bench after a month out, and Arsenal will have the chance to open ​the gap to six points when they host Fulham next weekend before City are next in league action.

-Reuters

 Eberechi Eze celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/David Klein 

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• Relegation battle intensifies as West Ham, Spurs fight for survival
• Liverpool and Manchester United close in on Champions League qualification
• Manchester City monitor Arsenal’s result while focusing on the FA Cup semifinal

Arsenal walk into Saturday’s Premier League clash with Newcastle United with their margin for error gone, knowing that any ​stumble at the Emirates could prove fatal to their title hopes.

Mikel Arteta’s side go into the weekend knowing that anything less than ‌victory at the Emirates would hand the initiative straight back to Manchester City, who moved top of the table by the smallest of margins after Wednesday’s 1-0 win at Burnley.

City and Arsenal are level on 70 points and goal difference (37), with Pep Guardiola’s side ahead by only three goals scored, but the optics of the race have shifted once again.

Arsenal, ​who only recently held a commanding lead, are now chasing momentum as well as results.

A 2-1 defeat by City last weekend and their rivals’ ​relentless pursuit have stripped away any buffer, making Newcastle’s visit a must-win fixture.

Arteta insisted his side are “more convinced” than ever ⁠that they can hoist the league trophy.

“It’s a new league now,” Arteta said. “Everything is still to play for. We’re not going to stop and we’re ​going to go again, that’s for sure.”

City are not in league action this weekend as they are playing Southampton in an FA Cup semi-final on Saturday, ​but will watch closely, confident that they can reproduce their superb late-season form of previous seasons.

At the bottom, with Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley already relegated, the fight for survival is just as unforgiving.

West Ham United host Everton, knowing that three points could prove decisive in their bid to stay clear of the drop zone.

Tottenham Hotspur, meanwhile, face a season‑defining ​trip to Wolves, where anything less than victory would leave them staring at the unthinkable as the margins at the foot of the table continue ​to tighten with every passing game.

It is the first time in 49 years that Spurs have been in the drop zone this late in the season, sitting 18th on ‌31 points, ⁠two adrift of 17th-placed West Ham.

Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi feels his side can string together five consecutive wins to ensure their survival.

“I always believe in the qualities of the players,” he said after Saturday’s costly 2-2 draw with Brighton and Hove Albion. “In this moment, we need this spirit, this attitude, this mentality, and it’s not finished yet.”

Holders Liverpool can firm up Champions League qualification with a victory over Crystal Palace on Saturday at Anfield. Arne Slot’s men are ​fifth in a congested top half ​of the table, but are finally ⁠enjoying some momentum with victories in their last two league games.

While securing a top-five finish would be a positive in a disappointing season, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said that is not the club’s standard.

“It’s definitely not the ​standards I expect and envision myself being a Liverpool player – just to qualify for the Champions League,” the Dutch ​defender said after last ⁠weekend’s 2-1 win over Everton in the Merseyside Derby.

Manchester United host Brentford on Monday on the verge of securing Champions League qualification, aided by Chelsea’s loss to Brighton this week that dropped the Blues to eighth place and led to manager Liam Rosenior being sacked on Wednesday after their seventh defeat in their last eight ⁠matches across ​all competitions.

United have been on a brilliant run under interim manager Michael Carrick, with eight wins ​and two draws in their 12 matches under the former United midfielder.

They are third on 58 points, eight points ahead of sixth-place Brighton, and a maximum of six points would secure qualification ​for Europe’s elite club competition.

Aston Villa, who trail Manchester United only on goal difference, travel to Fulham on Saturday.

-Reuters

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