Arsenal bounce back with rout of struggling Fulham
Xhaka, Lacazette, Ramsey and Aubameyang score for Gunners in comfortable win
LONDON: Arsenal responded to their thrashing by Liverpool in the best possible manner, reeling off a routine 4-1 humbling of struggling Fulham in their Premier League clash on Tuesday.
Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka had set Arsenal on their way with his fourth goal of the season. Alexandre Lacazette added the second after 55 minutes with their momentum temporarily halted as Aboubakar Kamara pulled one back after 69 minutes.
However, Welshman Aaron Ramsey came off the bench to make it 3-1 eleven minutes from time and Pierre-emerick Aubameyang added a fourth.
Arsenal have yet to keep a clean sheet since beating Huddersfield Town on December 8, but a second win in six matches saw them move on to 41 points two points off the Champions League places.
Fulham have shown little sign of a recovery under Claudio Ranieri since he took over from the sacked Slavisa Jokanovic and are second from bottom.
The visitors did have their chances early on to break the deadlock.
First, Fulham captain Tom Cairney sent Ryan Sessegnon clear of defenders with the simplest of passes only for the England under-21 star to sidefoot his shot wide of Bernd Leno’s goal.
Then Andre Schurrle hit a dangerous low cross from the left and Sessegnon ran in behind Sead Kolasinac only to miskick with the goal at his mercy.
Fulham paid dearly for that miss in the 25th minute as Arsenal exposed the defensive frailties that have blighted their season.
Alex Iwobi spotted Xhaka advancing unmarked into the penalty area and flighted the ball into his path.
The midfielder had all the time he needed to control the ball and poke it past Fulham goalkeeper Sergio Rico. Arsenal relaxed and created a series of chances, Xhaka and Sokratis having shots blocked, Aubameyang heading wide and Lacazette seeing a shot hit Rico’s trailing leg.
A second goal arrived ten minutes into the second half.
It was Arsenal at their intricate, quick-passing best. Iwobi, on the left, touched the ball forward to Aubameyang, who saw Kolasinac advancing inside him and rolled it into his path.
The defender unselfishly squared for Lacazette to hit the ball past Rico from ten yards.
Kamara briefly gave Fulham hope when he made amends for Saturday’s controversial penalty miss at home to Huddersfield -- he had insisted on taking the spot kick himself -- by arriving at the far post to convert Sessegnon’s low cross.
The Gunners, though, put the game to bed 11 minutes from time.
Matteo Guendouzi and Kolasinac opened Fulham up down the left, Aubameyang smacked Kolasinac’s low cross against the post and the rebound fell to Ramsey, who shot high past Rico’s left hand. Aubameyang made it 4-1 after 83 minutes when Fulham failed dismally to clear a corner and the Gabon striker’s shot was deflected over Rico by Tim Ream’s attempt to block.
VARDY NETS WINNER
LIVERPOOL:JAMIE Vardy rescued a dire match with an eye-catching celebration as his goal secured Leicester City a 1-0 win away at Everton in their New Year’s day Premier League fixture on Tuesday.
The 31-year-old showed remarkable agility after scoring in the 58th minute for a result that sees The Foxes move into seventh, seven points adrift of Arsenal who occupy the Europa League fifth-placed spot. Vardy has been rumoured to have strained relations with Leicester manager Claude Puel and was taken off in the defeat by Cardiff last Saturday and said the acrobatic display had not been a spontaneous one.
FULHAM PROMISE TO ACT ON RACIAL ABUSE
LONDON: Fulham say they will take the “strongest possible action” after Aboubakar Kamara was racially abused on social media following his penalty miss on Saturday for the Premier League team.
“We are aware that numerous damaging and hurtful comments have been posted on Aboubakar Kamara’s social media account, and as a club that prides itself on our respect and civility, we condemn anyone who may be associated with this repulsive activity,” the club said in a statement.
SANCHEZ EAGER FOR RETURN: SOLSKJAER
MANCHESTER: After scoring 12 goals in three games under caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Manchester United could add another weapon to their attacking arsenal at Newcastle on Wednesday, with Alexis Sanchez set to return from injury.
The Chilean has been sidelined by a hamstring injury for the past month, meaning he missed the final days of Jose Mourinho’s reign in charge at Old Trafford.
“He’s a player that would benefit from the rotation (of positions) and movements, and the more chances you create, the more times you get the ball into the final third, he’ll be an asset for us,” said Solskjaer.
“I think he’s looking forward to it. It certainly looked like it yesterday (Saturday) in the (training) session because he scored quite a few nice goals, so that’s encouraging.”
KANTE ENJOYING NEW ROLE IN MIDFIELD
LONDON: N’golo Kante insists he is finally growing into his new role in Chelsea’s midfield as the France star prepares for Wednesday’s clash with Southampton.
“This role is something I am enjoying and in a game I try to make that run sometimes,” the Frenchman said about his position in an advanced role in midfield, having operated as a defensive midfielder over the last few years. Currently in fourth place, Maurizio Sarri’s side will be expected to consolidate that position against a Southampton team struggling to avoid relegation.
‘QATAR CAN GO BEYOND ASIAN CUP QUARTERS’
DUBAI: Qatar have what it takes to register their best Asian Cup performance when the continental showpiece kicks off in the United Arab Emirates this week, captain Hassan Al-haydos has said. “I think we can go beyond the quarter-finals in the UAE,” Al-haydos told Qatar’s Gulf Times daily.
“It’s a very important year for us as we are competing in the Asian Cup as well as the Copa America. Then we have the World Cup coming up in four years,” he added.