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The long-awaited English Premier League 2020-21 season has finally begun, with newly-promoted Fulham hosting Arsenal at Craven Cottage. Mikel Arteta named his preferred 3-4-3 formation, with Bernd Leno retaining his position as the first-choice keeper amid rumours that Emiliano Martinez could leave the club. Meanwhile, Scott Parker adopted a 4-2-3-1 formation and surprisingly left veteran striker Aleksandar Mitrovic on the bench.
Despite chances for the home team, Alexandre Lacazette scored the first goal of the season in the ninth minute. The Frenchman ensured the ball was in the net after Marek Rodak failed to clear Willian's earlier attempt on goal. The Gunners almost doubled their lead in the 27th minute but Willian's free-kick was denied by the woodwork.
At last, Arsenal's hard work paid off after Gabriel Magalhaes scored the second goal from a corner. The defender was the only player who leaped for the ball and his resulting header easily beat Rodak from close range. However, the misery was far from over for Parker's side as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the third goal of the afternoon less than 10 minutes later.
Although Arsenal could have scored a few more goals, the three goals were more than enough to see Arteta's side get all three points from their first away game this season. Here are five talking points from the strong display by the North London club.
#5 Gabriel Magalhaes getting back on his feet after an early mistake
With injuries to centre-backs David Luiz, Pablo Mari and more, newcomer Gabriel was called into action straight away. The 22-year-old had a nervy start after a miscommunication with Leno, which saw the German make a last-minute dash to protect his goal.
Recovering well from his blunder, Gabriel seemed more confident as time passed. Eventually, the Brazil international proved that he could defend well aerially and in 1v1 situations. He enjoyed a superb passing accuracy of 95% and made two tackles as well as two clearances.
Soon after the second half started, Gabriel netted home to give his side a more comfortable lead over Fulham. It is certainly an impressive start for the defender, who seems to be adjusting well to the demands of the EPL.
#4 Willian's arrival is a great boost for Arsenal
Willian was named in the starting line-up ahead of the club's record signing Nicolas Pepe, and it is evident that the former Chelsea man is adapting well to the style of play Arteta is enforcing.
According to Squawka, the winger completed 100% of his passes in the first half against Fulham, and his blossoming chemistry with his teammates is already reaping rewards. In the 75 minutes he played this afternoon, Willian laid two assists for his teammates and played a massive role in Arsenal's convincing win.
Having been in the EPL since 2013, Willian's experience will definitely benefit Arsenal as they vie for trophies and most importantly, a return to the UEFA Champions League.
#3 Fulham face an uphill task of surviving in the Premier League
There were undeniably bright moments for Fulham in the first half when Leno had to make a couple of saves to preserve Arsenal's early advantage. However, in the second half, the Cottagers had absolutely no chance of testing the German.
Parker brought on Fulham's talisman Mitrovic after falling behind by three goals but his attempts to salvage the situation were proven futile. The visitors were dominant throughout the game and never stopped creating more chances for themselves.
While it's still too early to predict Fulham's fortune in the league this season, their backline was torn apart by Arsenal's attackers, and Parker would have lots of work to do. When they face even tougher opponents such as Chelsea and Liverpool, the Cottagers are probably going to endure an equally difficult time.
#2 The ongoing Arsenal transfer activity behind-the-scenes
Despite participating in training, Lucas Torreira, Matteo Guendouzi and Mesut Ozil were all left out of the matchday squad. Instead, Mohamed Elneny retained his position in the starting eleven after Arsenal's victory in the Community Shield.
In his pre-match conference, Mikel Arteta addressed transfer rumours and said:
"Number-wise, some positions are overbooked. "
"Some others are in terms of the specific qualities we need, they are still not there."
The club has yet to sell any of their first-team players but many have been linked with moves away from London. Given Elneny's strong performance in his last two games, he might have been given a lifeline and looks likely to stay with the team beyond this summer.
On the other hand, Emiliano Martinez's omission from the squad shows that he is expected to leave in the coming days. Both Brighton and Hove Albion as well as Aston Villa are keen on the Argentine's services. If Arsenal can command a good fee from the sale Martinez, Arteta would surely invest in more signings to boost the quality of his side.
#1 Arsenal's dream of finishing in the top four is on track
Under Arteta, Arsenal have certainly become a more disciplined and cohesive unit. Similar to their displays against Manchester City and Liverpool, the players once again showed their ability to perform under pressure, concentrate throughout the 90 minutes and convert their chances.
The 38-year-old Spaniard deserves all the credit for the work he has done to transform the Gunners and judging by the team's performance today, Arsenal are indeed improving day by day.
The North London team have not played in the UEFA Champions League since 2017 and this is severely affecting Arsenal's chances of attracting players in transfer windows. As such, one of Arteta's main aims will be to finish in the top four and qualify for the top-tier European competition by next summer. With confidence running high in the team, the Gunners have to believe in their manager and trust that they will be able to return to the UCL.
