Gunners close gap to Chelsea in race for fourth

– Arsenal cut the gap to fourth-placed Chelsea to two points on New Years’ Day with a victory over Fulham

– Switzerland international Granit Xhaka put Arsenal in front when he stabbed Alex Iwobi’s cross into the net

– Alexandre Lacazette doubled the lead 10 minutes after the break when he finished a good team move

– Aboubakar Kamara gave Fulham hope with a close-range finish at the back post after a Ryan Sessegnon cross

– Their optimism did not last long though as Aaron Ramsey came off the bench to add a third for Arsenal

– Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang rounded things off with a fortunate finish that looped into the net

In the immediate aftermath of Arsenal’s opening goal, the television cameras did not pan to the dugout, where Unai Emery appeared relieved or to the terraces, where supporters embraced.

Instead, they cut to Fulham’s young winger, Ryan Sessegnon, who trudged upfield, with his head bowed and a forlorn look to the ground. Granit Xhaka had provided the breakthrough but Sessegnon had previously held this game in his grip and deep down, the teenager will surely know this.

Twice in the first half, Fulham cut through a dreadful and anxious Arsenal defence and twice the 18-year-old spurned opportunities that he will surely gobble up every day at the training ground.

The first opportunity came in the 18th minute and it was the kind of chance we have seen Arsenal concede on so many occasions over the years. Over committed to attack both in numbers and in mind, Fulham raced upfield on the counter-attack and after Aleksandar Mitrovic cushioned the ball back to Tom Cairney on the halfway line, the Fulham captain instantly weighted a low pass to the run of Sessegnon on the inside right channel.

He sped the distance of the Arsenal half, beyond his cast of heavy-legged pursuers but confronted by the whites of the goalkeepers eyes, he opened up his body and curled wide.

Greater trauma was to follow. As Cairney spread the play for Andre Schurrle, the German crossed delightfully for the unmarked Sessegnon, who, with the goal gaping, missed his kick entirely.

Within moments, the ball was in the Fulham net and with it, their hopes of an unlikely victory greatly diminished. The Arsenal goal was well-worked, as Alex Iwobi cut in from the left and picked out the run of Xhaka. The Swiss midfielder had ambled in on Cairney’s blind side and slotted the ball past Sergio Rico easily.

Dailymail