Arsenal moved six points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League with a comprehensive 3-0 win over Fulham at Emirates Stadium.

While Pep Guardiola’s chasers have two matches in hand, the first of which is against Everton on Monday, the Gunners sent out a statement of their title intent with a dominant display.

Making his first start since March, Bukayo Saka teed up Viktor Gyokeres for the opening goal, with the duo trading roles when the winger made it 2-0 with a trademark near-post finish.

Gyokeres clinched his brace with a towering header on the stroke of half-time, and Arsenal were comfortable throughout the second period, almost adding a fourth when Riccardo Calafiori struck the crossbar.

The Gunners will now be keen observers when City go to Hill Dickinson Stadium, while Fulham remain 10th in the table, three points off the top six.

How the match unfolded

Arsenal were on the attack immediately as Leandro Trossard dragged an effort wide, and shortly after they took the lead in the ninth minute. Saka bamboozled Raul Jimenez and sent a low cross into the six-yard box towards Gyokeres, who tapped in.

The Gunners should have gone 2-0 up in the 27th minute, but Bernd Leno made a reflex save to thwart Gyokeres, and Saka skewed the follow-up wide.

Calafiori then saw a header disallowed for offside following a VAR review, but Arsenal did double their lead when Saka lashed inside Leno’s near post in the 40th minute, following some outstanding hold-up play from Gyokeres.

And it was effectively game over in first-half stoppage time, with the completely unmarked Gyokeres redirecting Trossard’s hanging cross past Leno.

Leno narrowed the angle well to deny Gyokeres his hat-trick early in the second half, and the Fulham goalkeeper later got a touch to Calafiori’s header to divert it onto the woodwork.

Fulham’s only shot on target came in the 72nd minute, when Timothy Castagne tested David Raya, and the only silver lining for the visitors was that they avoided further damage.