Gabriel’s late goal sinks to Fulham to extend Arsenal’s perfect start

Something special is stirring. It was not pretty, and for long periods it was ineffective. But in the end, strikes from Martin Ødegaard and Gabriel Margalhaes sealed a come-from-behind-victory that ensured Arsenal ended the weekend at league summit.

It was in the equivalent week last year – international breaks aside – that Mikel Arteta’s side narrowly defeated newly promoted opposition. That result arguably saved him his job. 12-months later, times are very different.

Defeat was a little harsh on Fulham who, having been unceremoniously dumped out of the Carabao Cup midweek by the EFL’s bottom side, had a more than passable stab at the team at the polar opposite end.

They had even dared go ahead through Alexandar Mitrovic’s second-half strike, his 100th in Fulham colours.

A Championship cheat code, many felt Mitrovic was not cut out for top-flight life. With four in four, Mitrovic has already bettered his tally from last time around.

Despite declaring a clean bill of health on Friday, Arteta, in his 100th Premier League game as Arsenal manager, was forced to tinker with his starting line-up for the first time this season. Thomas Partey and Oleksandr Zinchenko both dropped out with a tight thigh and knee sprain respectively, meaning Kieran Tierney and Mohamed Elneny came in.

Marco Silva welcomed back Neeskens Kebano, with Jay Stansfield making way in the one change from the side that defeated Brentford. That meant Bernd Leno, who kept 26 clean sheets in a Jekyll-and-Hyde four years at Arsenal, retained his place.

For all Arsenal’s first-half possession, of which there was plenty, they missed last weekend’s clinical touch. Fulham absorbed pressure – perhaps not deliberately so – but Leno’s only save of note was a smother