Start them together: Arteta has found his dream Arsenal attack before Real Madrid showdown - opinion

Arsenal picked up a second-straight Premier League win after a 2-1 victory over Fulham on Tuesday.

The Gunners had an average opening half against the Cottagers but stepped up their performance after the break.

It was a deserved victory for the Gunners. There were several players who were hugely impressive.

Mikel Merino broke the deadlock with an instinctive but slightly fortunate finish in the 37th minute.

He has now scored five goals in his last eight appearances as a centre-forward.

Gabriel Martinelli was also exceptional from the left wing. He got the better of Timothy Castagne with his quick dribbling and direct running.

The Brazilian completed two dribbles and created five chances for his teammates. His sublime flick paved the way for Bukayo Saka’s winner.

Merino played his part in the lead-up with a quality cross towards Martinelli.

Martinelli unquestionably had his best performance of the campaign.

Saka marked his first appearance after a three-month injury lay-off with a goal coming off the bench.

The Englishman netted after just seven minutes on the pitch. He showed what Arsenal have been missing with his perfect positioning for a free header on goal.

In our opinion, manager Mikel Arteta has found his dream attack for the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid later this month.

The Spanish tactician must start Martinelli, Merino and Saka together against Los Blancos.

Saka had around 30 minutes in the bag yesterday. He could play for an hour versus Everton this weekend to prepare for next week’s European showdown.

Ethan Nwaneri must be applauded for his display yesterday. He tested the goalkeeper with a sublime half-volley and provided the assist for Merino’s opener.

The 18-year-old still has a big role to play in Europe. He could be a game-changer off the bench if Arsenal cannot impose themselves on the European champions.

Arsenal host Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final next week. They need a positive result with at least a goal advantage to take to the Bernabeu.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com & Sofascore.com

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