Fulham 0 - 3 Arsenal: Finished | 2020-09-12 | Premier League

Goalkeepers	G	GC	SAV
Marek Rodák	0	3	2

Forwards	G	GA	S	FC	FW
Aboubakar Kamara 63'	0	0	1	2	1

Midfielders	FC	FW
Tom Cairney	2	1
Harrison Reed	0	1
Ivan Cavaleiro	1	4
Josh Onomah 75'	2	0
Neeskens Kebano 63'	1	1

Defenders	S	FC	FW
Denis Odoi	1	0	1
Joe Bryan	0	0	0
Michael Hector	0	3	1
Tim Ream	0	0	0

Substitutes	S	FC	FW
André-Frank Zambo Anguissa 63'(Neeskens Kebano)	0	0	0
Aleksandar Mitrovic 63'(Aboubakar Kamara)	1	1	1
Bobby Reid 75'(Josh Onomah)	1	0	0
Maxime Le Marchand	0	0	0
Cyrus Christie	0	0	0
Anthony Knockaert	0	0	0
Alphonse Areola	0	-	-

Goalkeepers	G	GC	SAV
Bernd Leno	0	0	2

Forwards	G	GA	S	FC	FW
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 57'	1	0	3	2	2
Alexandre Lacazette 87' 8'	1	0	2	2	3
Willian 75'	0	2	3	1	2

Midfielders	S	FC	FW
Héctor Bellerín	0	1	0
Ainsley Maitland-Niles	0	2	0
Mohamed Elneny	0	0	1
Granit Xhaka 78'	2	0	1

Defenders	G	S	FC	FW
Kieran Tierney	0	0	1	1
Gabriel Magalhães 49'	1	1	1	2
Rob Holding	0	0	2	0

Substitutes	FC	FW
Nicolas Pépé 75'(Willian)	0	0
Dani Ceballos 78'(Granit Xhaka)	0	0
Eddie Nketiah 87'(Alexandre Lacazette)	0	0
Sead Kolasinac	0	0
Bukayo Saka	0	0
Joe Willock	0	0
Matt Macey	-	-

90'+3'

That's all from this opening Arsenal win. Thanks for joining us and, until next time, goodbye!

90'+3'

Arsenal will look to take some momentum into next week's home opener against West Ham. Fulham can bounce back at Ipswich Town in midweek in the EFL Cup before visiting Leeds United.

90'+3'

It is a fine win to start the season for Arsenal! Goals from Lacazette, Gabriel and Aubameyang see off Fulham. It could have been more than three, in truth, with Fulham looking well out of their depth on their top-flight return.

90'+3'

FULL-TIME: Fulham 0-3 Arsenal

90'+1'

There will be a minimum of three minutes of added time.

90'+1'

Arsenal go short with their latest corner and work an angle for Tierney to cross. He cannot find Aubameyang, though.

90'

Pepe has been bright since coming on and wins a corner down the right.

90'

Ambitious! Fulham have not had much to shout about, but Reid goes for the spectacular. He attempts to lob Leno from near halfway but gets the shot all wrong. The goalkeeper gathers comfortably.

87'

Lacazette, who broke the deadlock for this game and the season, makes way for Nketiah.

86'

Mitrovic earns just Fulham's second corner, but it again comes to nothing as the dominant Gabriel nods clear.

85'

Arsenal move again down the right through Pepe, who drills in a low cross, but Aubameyang cannot turn the ball goalwards. An Arsenal fourth looks far more likely than a Fulham consolation.

84'

All hands to the pump in the Fulham box! Hector is tackled by Lacazette in his own area, and Ceballos links up delightfully with Pepe. There is a nutmeg and then a backheel, but Fulham somehow survive the latest series of crosses.

82'

Hector continues to get away with repeated fouls, albeit his latest is fairly innocuous. Lacazette still throws his arms up in frustration. Arsenal just overplay the free-kick.

80'

Mitrovic wins a free-kick from Holding in a dangerous position, yet Fulham still cannot get a cross on the big striker's head. Arsenal clear once more.

78'

Arsenal's corner comes in from the right, but Lacazette's near-post header clears the goal by some distance.

78'

Perhaps Xhaka has not recovered from the earlier Hector challenge. He is replaced by Ceballos.

77'

OFF THE LINE! Hector denies Aubameyang a second! Bellerin's pass finds the captain comfortably onside and he rounds Rodak. The angle is tough, though, and a rising shot is headed behind by Hector.

77'

Fulham have not been able to get crosses in towards Mitrovic, so he instead drifts right and delivers himself. A fine ball finds nobody in the middle as a result, though.

75'

A fine Willian debut comes to an end after two assists. Pepe, Arsenal's record buy, is on.

75'

Onomah has struggled to get involved in the game. On comes Reid.

75'

Xhaka initially hobbles off the pitch but is seemingly fit to continue.

74'

Xhaka is in real pain. Hector, on a booking and having just fouled Aubameyang, dives in on the midfielder. He gets the ball and no foul is given but also catches Xhaka's standing foot. He needs treatment.

73'

Aubamayeng wins a free-kick on the left, which Willian cuts back to Xhaka. His shot is poor and blocked, but Arsenal build again.

71'

SAVE! What a stop! Arsenal are so close to a fourth! Tierney frees Aubameyang, who crosses for Lacazette. Rodak somehow saves from point-blank range, before Bellerin's follow-up is well blocked. An offside is then belatedly flagged.

70'

Xhaka sends in a dangerous cross from the right, with Holding and Lacazette under the ball, but the offside flag is up. The header drops over regardless.

69'

Onomah is slightly fortunate to avoid a booking as he blatantly tugs back Lacazette. Fulham cannot get any sort of rhythm going.

67'

Fulham finally enjoy a better spell in the Arsenal third but struggle to get the ball into Mitrovic. He does take up possession outside the box but a low shot is easily gathered by Leno.

65'

Willian is the first player to assist two goals on his Premier League debut for Arsenal since Ray Parlour in August 1992 against Liverpool.

64'

Willian has enjoyed a superb debut. He gets down the right and cuts back a cross which Fulham just about clear, although the ball soon ends up back at the feet of the brilliant Brazilian.

63'

Zambo Anguissa, who enjoyed a strong loan spell at Villarreal last season, is back to replace Kebano.

63'

Unsurprisingly, here come the Fulham changes. Talisman Mitrovic is on for Kamara.

62'

Xhaka sends a tame free-kick straight into the Fulham wall, but the home side are struggling to keep the ball at all right now.

61'

Frustration is growing for Fulham. Cairney takes Willian down as he advances. Yellow card.

59'

Arsenal are really in the mood. They are pressing high, with Fulham struggling to keep the rampant visitors at bay.

58'

Fulham have lost each of their prior five Premier League matches against Arsenal, conceding nine goals in their two defeats against the Gunners the last time they were in the top flight in 2018-19 (1-5 home, 1-4 away).

57'

And it is another Willian assist! What a start both for the winger and for Arsenal. His glorious switch sets Aubameyang away.

57'

GOOAAALLLL!!! AUBAMEYANG! Outstanding! 3-0! Arsenal counter in clinical fashion. Aubameyang has men up in support as he cuts in from the left but prefers instead to pick out the top-right corner. A stunning move, a stunning finish.

56'

CLOSE! Kamara's shot flashes through the box! Bryan's free-kick is headed clear by Lacazette, but the Fulham forward gathers the ball and drives in a low effort. Leno watches it just wide.

55'

Bellerin is the latest man booked as he drags Cavaleiro to the ground just outside the box on the Fulham left.

53'

Fulham move the ball nicely but find a block of nine Arsenal players blocking their route 40 yards from goal. The hosts lack the creativity to forge a gap.

50'

Gabriel is the 10th player to score on his Premier League debut for Arsenal, and the first to do so in an away match since Thomas Vermaelen in August 2009 against Everton.

45'+3'

Fulham have only come from behind to win one of their past 51 Premier League games when trailing at half-time (D5 L45), beating Brighton and Hove Albion 4-2 in January 2019.

49'

It is a debut assist for Willian, too, who takes the corner. He also had a role in the first goal.

49'

GOOAAALLLL!!! GABRIEL! Debut goal! 2-0 Arsenal! This is so simple. A corner comes in from the right and Gabriel is there in the centre of the goal to nod straight through Rodak. In an increasingly assured first appearance, he has a goal.

45'+3'

Fulham started brightly enough on their return to the top flight, but Arsenal have been in control since Lacazette's scrappy opener. Willian, who was involved in that goal, hit the post with a free-kick as Arsenal threatened to double their lead on a couple of occasions.

48'

Sublime from Holding! The centre-back juggles the ball over his man and keeps control, feeding Lacazette. Another cross is blocked, but Arsenal have a corner.

48'

Arsenal hurl in a long throw, towards Gabriel, but Hector heads clear, and Bryan then does really well to force Willian out of play as he aims to keep the attack alive on the right.

45'+3'

HALF-TIME: Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

47'

Aubameyang on the run! Arsenal quickly settle into the same routine, keeping the ball and then freeing their captain. He races down the left, past a couple of challenges, but sees Ream step across as the cross comes in.

45'+2'

Holding heads clear in front of Hector. That will be that.

45'+2'

Gabriel's towering header clears Fulham's free-kick, but a deflected cross on the left then earns a corner late in this first half.

46'

KICK-OFF: We are back under way with Arsenal and Lacazette.

45'+1'

There will be a minimum of one minute of added time.

45'

Tierney is furious as Kebano earns a foul by the corner flag. Aubameyang hangs out a leg moments before that, too. The captain - on a booking - might want to be a little more careful.

43'

Fulham enjoy an extended spell of possession but do nothing at all with it, instead forced all the way back to Rodak. Arsenal are comfortable.

40'

Great cross! Maitland-Niles delivers a wonderful ball with his left foot. He is falling backwards but so nearly picks out Lacazette, with Ream desperately diving towards the ball and also making no contact.

39'

Odoi has taken a kick a couple of times already. The latest challenge earns Aubameyang a yellow card.

37'

SAVE! Just! Aubameyang stings Rodak's palms! Tierney feeds his captain with a lofted ball, allowing Aubameyang to control on his chest and thump goalwards left-footed. Rodak blocks but the ball spins backwards before he gathers just in front of the goal line.

34'

Offside! For a moment, it looks as though Lacazette is in! The flag initially stays down as the striker races in behind and squares towards Willian. Ream lunges in ahead of the winger, though, and then Lacazette is belatedly flagged.

33'

Arsenal are almost playing a 4-4-2 at times in possession. Tierney pushes out towards left-back, while Maitland-Niles plays narrow from the same wing. That allows Aubameyang to join Lacazette in the centre. The movement is causing Fulham problems, although the visitors' latest attack comes to nothing.

31'

Kamara and Gabriel are enjoying a great battle! Odoi plays in a great cross towards the pair at the near post, but Kamara fouls his man as the ball bounces away.

29'

Fulham have lost their past 10 Premier League London derbies - beaten in all 10 in the 2018-19 season - the longest ever such run by a club in top-flight history.

26'

Hector goes into the book for a foul on Lacazette from behind, just outside the Fulham box.

25'

Great defending from Gabriel! After a couple of early scares, he does superbly to challenge Kamara on the Fulham left. Rather than bypass the defender, Kamara loses the ball entirely, bullied out of the way.

23'

Lacazette and Cairney come together in the middle of the pitch, giving Fulham a free-kick in a central position. They look towards Hector, but the big defender is offside. That is poor.

21'

The hosts give the ball away in a dangerous position again! Willian plays a pass into the area to Lacazette, whose smart touch tees up Elneny. The midfielder shimmies away from the first challenge but then shoots right-footed and hits the defender. Xhaka rifles the follow-up into the empty stands.

20'

Fulham need to be a little more patient. Reed attempts to get them moving forward quickly with a low pass out to the right, but Tierney steps in and Arsenal are back in control.

18'

Fulham are not happy. Odoi gets to the ball first by the corner flag and sends in a teasing cross, albeit as he takes a heavy challenge from Maitland-Niles. There is nobody in the middle and no free-kick for the hosts. Odoi is back on his feet.

17'

Hector does well as Arsenal attack again. A cross from the right reaches Maitland-Niles, but his attempt to beat Hector one-on-one ends with the Fulham defender smartly playing a clearance against his opponent and out of play.

16'

Fulham are defending cross after cross now! Bellerin fizzes in a ball that passes through the box, but Maitland-Niles retrieves the ball. His ball towards Xhaka is poor, yet then Tierney sends in another dangerous delivery. Fulham cling on.

15'

Holding makes a really good challenge to keep Arsenal on the attack as Fulham attempt to play out. Willian's low ball in the area is blocked, but Arsenal can build again.

14'

Only Liverpool (five) have scored the opening goal of a Premier League season on more occasions than Arsenal (four).

13'

Arsenal are starting to settle nicely, having been slightly fortunate to break the deadlock. A neat move ends with an Aubameyang cross, but Hector clears effectively this time.

11'

Lacazette has become the first player to score the very first goal of two Premier League seasons (also 2017-18).

10'

Good response from Fulham! Cavaleiro spins out to the left and crosses deep to the far post, where Kebano thumps a volley goalwards. Maitland-Niles blocks well.

8'

GOOAAALLLL!!! LACAZETTE! Against the run of play! Arsenal have a scrappy opener! Aubameyang squares from the left and Ream makes a real mess of a clearance as he blocks Xhaka's low shot. Willian is gifted a huge chance for a debut goal but Rodak saves, only for the ball to run for Lacazette to slam in from two yards out.

7'

SAVE! Really nice play from Fulham! A sweeping move up the right flank sees the referee play advantage for a foul on Kebano as Odoi instead advances. The right-back cuts inside and shoots left-footed, with Leno only gathering at the second attempt. Good start!

6'

Arsenal have preferred to sit back in recent games against top sides, inviting pressure. They have so far also done the same against a newly promoted team here, though.

4'

Fulham are on the front foot in these opening stages. Gabriel looks a little uncertain as he tussles with Kamara.

3'

Kebano is quickly involved again! He challenges with a defender for a left-wing cross but concedes a foul. His header goes backwards.

2'

CHANCE! Kebano almost gets in! Sloppy play from Arsenal at the back. Gabriel inexplicably leaves a Maitland-Niles pass for Leno, not spotting the lurking Fulham man. Kebano gets there, but Leno lunges out and intervenes crucially.

2'

Even with Mitrovic on the bench, Fulham are playing very direct early on, putting the Arsenal defence under pressure with long balls out from the back.

1'

KICK-OFF: Fulham forward Kamara gets us up and running!

-

Gabriel and Willian are the 10th and 11th Brazilians to appear in the Premier League for Arsenal. Only Chelsea and Manchester City (both 12) have had more Brazilian players in the competition. Meanwhile, Elneny is making his first Premier League appearance since May 2019 against Burnley.

-

For Arsenal, there are four changes from the Community Shield win over Liverpool. Transfer speculation means Emi Martinez is not involved at all, with Leno back, but Holding, Bellerin and Maitland-Niles all keep their places. Gabriel debuts in the absence of the injured David Luiz. Willian also makes his bow.

-

Fulham line up with a very similar team to that which was promoted, although top-scorer Mitrovic only makes the bench. Areola signed on loan from Paris-Saint Germain this week but joins Mitrovic among a surprisingly strong selection of substitutes.

-

Subs: Matt Macey, Bukayo Saka, Dani Ceballos, Nicolas Pepe, Joe Willock, Eddie Nketiah, Sead Kolasinac.

-

Arsenal (3-4-3): Bernd Leno; Rob Holding, Gabriel, Kieran Tierney; Hector Bellerin, Mohamed Elneny, Granit Xhaka, Ainsley Maitland-Niles; Willian, Alexandre Lacazette, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

-

Subs: Alphonse Areola, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Anthony Knockaert, Bobby Reid, Maxime Le Marchand, Cyrus Christie, Andre Zambo Anguissa.

-

Fulham (4-2-3-1): Marek Rodak; Denis Odoi, Michael Hector, Tim Ream, Joe Bryan; Harrison Reed, Tom Cairney, Neeskens Kebano, Josh Onomah, Ivan Cavaleiro; Aboubakar Kamara.

-

There are new signings for both sides to welcome, with Willian the standout addition alongside increased defensive options for Arsenal. Fulham have not spent nearly as heavily as following their previous promotion, but World Cup winner Alphonse Areola is among their arrivals. Let's see who starts...

-

The first match of the new season takes place here, with last term's Championship play-off winners hosting the FA Cup holders at Craven Cottage. Fulham are hoping for a much better campaign than in 2018-19 when they were relegated, while Arsenal hope to move on from a tough year last time out as they finished eighth.

-

Hello and welcome to our live text commentary of the Premier League opener between Fulham and Arsenal!

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