Arsenal can go six points clear with win over Fulham as Arteta urges players to 'love the noise'

Key facts

• Arsenal can move six points clear of Manchester City with a win over Fulham at the Emirates Stadium.
• Mikel Arteta made five changes to the starting XI, with Bukayo Saka named captain in place of Martin Odegaard.
• Saka set up Viktor Gyokeres for the opener and then scored himself to make it 2-0 before halftime.
• Gyokeres scored his second of the match in first-half stoppage time to make it 3-0.
• Fulham made two changes, with Antonee Robinson replacing injured Ryan Sessegnon and Harrison Reed in for Sander Berge.
• Arsenal had a nine-point lead earlier in the season but saw it erased by a dip in form during April.

Arsenal seize control with dominant first-half display

Arsenal produced their best half of the season, blowing Fulham away with three goals before the interval at a bouncing Emirates Stadium. The Gunners, knowing a win would open a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League, took the game to their visitors from the first whistle. Viktor Gyokeres opened the scoring after 42 minutes, finishing a move started by Bukayo Saka. Saka then doubled the lead two minutes later, flashing a shot inside Bernd Leno's near post. Gyokeres added his second in first-half stoppage time, heading home from a Leandro Trossard cross. The performance drew a standing ovation from the home crowd as the teams left the pitch, with Arsenal temporarily six points clear of Manchester City, who play Everton on Monday.

Arteta rings changes, hands captaincy to Saka

Mikel Arteta made five changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semi-final first leg on Tuesday. The most notable was handing Bukayo Saka the captain's armband, with Martin Odegaard absent from the matchday squad. Ebere Eze replaced Odegaard in the lineup, while Noni Madueke dropped to the bench. Riccardo Calafiori returned at left-back, with Piero Hincapie moving to the bench. Martin Zubimendi was rested, with Myles Lewis-Skelly operating in central midfield, and Leandro Trossard preferred to Gabriel Martinelli on the left wing. Fulham made two changes from the side that beat Aston Villa 1-0 last weekend. Ryan Sessegnon, who scored the winner in that game, missed out through injury. Antonee Robinson took his place at left-back, while Harrison Reed replaced Sander Berge in midfield.

Title race dynamics: Arsenal's lead and City's game in hand

Arsenal's victory would put them six points clear of Manchester City, but Pep Guardiola's side have two games in hand, starting with a trip to Everton on Monday. The Gunners had a nine-point lead at one stage of the season, but a dip in form during April allowed City to close the gap. Arsenal bounced back from consecutive league defeats to edge past Newcastle last weekend, reclaiming top spot. The title race is now effectively a neck-and-neck contest, with four league games left for Arsenal and a maximum of two European matches. Fulham sit in mid-table, but manager Marco Silva insisted his side would "fight" for an upset, as they battle for European qualification. The Cottagers have been the subject of speculation over Silva's future.

Arteta's message: 'Love the noise' of the title run-in

Speaking exclusively to Sky Sports ahead of the match, Mikel Arteta urged his players to embrace the pressure of the Premier League and Champions League finales. "I tell them: love it," Arteta said. "If you want to win the Premier League and want to win the Champions League, what's going to happen? You're going to lose a match and they're going to destroy you. That's it." Arteta added: "You want to be there? Love to be there. When you win, love it. When you lose or you don't play your best - and there's going to be games where you lose the ball - love it. You will become better." He dismissed suggestions that Arsenal are 'bottling' another title race after three straight second-placed finishes. "There's only going to be one winner. The rest? Are they not good enough? Come on, if somebody believes that then there's something wrong."

What comes next: Arsenal's run-in and European ambitions

Arsenal have four Premier League games remaining and a maximum of two Champions League matches, should they progress past Atletico Madrid. The second leg of the semi-final is scheduled for next week, with the Gunners holding a 1-1 draw from the first leg. A win over Fulham would put Arsenal in a strong position domestically, but City's games in hand mean the title race is far from over. The Gunners will need to maintain their form and hope for favours from City's opponents. For Fulham, the focus remains on securing European football for next season. Despite the speculation over Silva's future, the team showed resilience in their recent win over Aston Villa and will look to bounce back from this defeat.

The bottom line

• Arsenal's dominant first-half performance against Fulham puts them six points clear of Manchester City, who have two games in hand.
• Bukayo Saka, named captain in Martin Odegaard's absence, scored one and set up another in a man-of-the-match display.
• Mikel Arteta made five changes to the starting XI, resting key players ahead of the Champions League semi-final second leg.
• Arteta's message to his squad is to embrace the pressure of the title run-in, rejecting claims of a 'bottle' job.
• Fulham, missing injured matchwinner Ryan Sessegnon, struggled to contain Arsenal's attack and remain in mid-table.
• The title race remains tight, with City set to play Everton on Monday and holding a game in hand over Arsenal.