Arsenal beat Fulham 2-1 in the Premier League on Tuesday thanks to another goal from stand-in striker Mikel Merino and as Bukayo Saka struck a few minutes into his return from three months out with injury.

Arsenal went ahead eight minutes before halftime when a cute ball from Jurrien Timber put Ethan Nwaneri round the back of the Fulham defence. He found Merino whose shot deflected beyond the reach of goalkeeper Bernd Leno into the corner.

Saka’s return brought the biggest roar from the Arsenal supporters and the 23-year-old nodded in a flicked-on cross in the 73rd minute not long after coming on. Rodrigo Muniz grabbed a late consolation goal for Fulham.

The home side’s victory means they trail league leaders Liverpool by nine points with eight games remaining. Arne Slot’s side could widen the gap again when they play local rivals Everton on Wednesday.

Wolves ease relegation worries with 1-0 win over West Ham

Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Jorgen Strand Larsen scored the only goal of the game as they beat visitors West Ham United 1-0 on Tuesday to make it two wins in a row and put some more daylight between them and the Premier League relegation places.

The win leaves Wolves in 17th spot on 29 points, 12 ahead of Ipswich Town in 18th and 19th-placed Leicester City, who are both in action on Wednesday against Bournemouth and Manchester City respectively.

West Ham ‘s Evan Ferguson missed a good chance to give his side the lead and Toti Gomes hit the woodwork for Wolves before Norwegian Strand Larsen broke the deadlock with a deflected effort in the 21st minute.

The Hammers went on to dominate much of the second half but they failed to create good chances. The closest they came to an equaliser were a header off the crossbar by substitute Niclas Fuellkrug and a late shot that Tomas Soucek fired just wide.