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. Arsenal cut the gap to fourth-placed Chelsea to two points on New Years' Day with a comfortable victory over Fulham Granit Xhaka put Arsenal ahead when the Switzerland international stabbed Alex Iwobi's cross into the net in the 25th minute Xhaka scores his side's first goal of the afternoon at the Emirates Stadium as Fulham's Tim Ream tries to block his attempt Alexandre Lacazette doubled Arsenal's lead 10 minutes after the break when he finished off a good team move The French striker bent an effort from inside the penalty area past the goalkeeper and a Fulham defender on the line Arsenal striking duo Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang produce their trademark celebration after making it 2-0 Fulham substitute Aboubakar Kamara pumps his fit after drawing Fulham back into the game with a close range finish Their optimism did not last long though as Aaron Ramsey came off the bench to add a third for Arsenal and seal the victory Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang rounded things off with a fortunate finish that looped over a helpless Sergio Rico MATCH FACTS, PLAYER RATINGS, PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE AND MATCH ZONE Arsenal (3-4-1-2): Leno 6; Mustafi 5 (Torreira 45, 6), Sokratis 6, Koscielny 5.5; Maitland-Niles 6; Guendouzi 7, Xhaka 6, Kolasinac 7; Iwobi 8 (Saka 83); Lacazette 7 (Ramsey 75, 6), Aubameyang 7.5. Subs not used: Cech, Elneny, Lichtsteiner, Nketiah. Goals: Xhaka 25, Lacazette 55, Ramsey 79, Aubameyang 83 Bookings: None Fulham (3-4-3): Rico 7; Odoi 6, Ream 6, Le Marchand 5.5; Christie 5 (Fosu-Mensah 56, 6), Cairney 6.5, Cisse 6 (Seri 61, 6), Bryan 6; Schurrle 5.5 (Kamara 61, 6.5), Mitrovic 6, Sessegnon 6. Subs not used: Bettinelli, Johansen, Ayite, Vietto. Goals: Kamara 69 Bookings: Fosu-Mensah Referee: Graham Scott 6 Premier League Premier League Championship League One League Two Scottish Premiership Scottish Div 1 Scottish Div 2 Scottish Div 3 Ligue 1 Serie A La Liga Bundesliga Granit Xhaka put Arsenal in front with his first home Premier League goal since December 2017. Click HERE for more from our MATCH ZONE. 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. Overcommitted 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. Managers Claudio Ranieri and Unai Emery share a warm embrace on the touchline ahead of kick-off on Tuesday afternoon Arsenal and Fulham hold a minutes silence in memory of Peter Hill-Wood, the former Gunners chairman who died last month Arsenal's Sokratis Papastathopoulos jumps for a header with Fulham's Aleksandar Mitrovic during the early stages Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal looks to release the ball to a team-mate under pressure from Fulham's Denis Odoi Fulham missed a good chance to draw first blood when Ryan Sessegnon broke forward before sending his curling shot wide Arsenal had taken only four points from the previous four games, including Saturday's 5-1 defeat at Anfield and their five-man defence, despite featuring the experience of Laurent Koscielny, Sokratis and Skhodran Mustafi, appeared rattled. This was a fraught opening period in which the home side were fortunate to be level, never mind leading. Do not be overly fooled by the handsome scoreline. In truth, portions of this game resembled the more angst-ridden moments of the late Arsene Wenger period. Arsenal capitalised on Sessegnon's miss with Xhaka scoring his first home Premier League goal since December 2017 Sergio Rico was left helpless in the Fulham goal as Xhaka got in behind and re-directed the ball into the corner of the goal Xhaka celebrates with Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Alexandre Lacazette, Aubameyang and Alex Iwobi in front of the fans Sokratis Papastathopoulos of Arsenal speaks to Tom Cairney as he lay on the floor following a tackle from the Greek defender Unai Emery delivers some instructions to his players as they looked to get back to winning ways at the Emirates Stadium Supporters groaned when Arsenal mislaid passes and roundly booed the manager's decision to substitute Alexandre Lacazette with Aaron Ramsey in the second half as Arsenal sought to protect a 2-1 lead after Fulham pulled a goal back. Emery was able to enjoy the schadenfreude as within four minutes, Ramsey had scored the third goal to take the match away from Fulham. This win carries Arsenal to within two points of Chelsea and the Champions League places but Emery will be concerned by the manner his side seem to veer so swiftly from the ordinary to the sublime and back again. The opening goal had appeared to settle Arsenal's nerves and Emery's side started to produce slick attacking football. Matteo Guendouzi, the pick of Arsenal's midfield players, sold his marker a dummy and forced a low save from Rico. Iwobi, excellent in the floating role, then deceived Fulham with a backheel and Xhaka was denied at pointblank range by a Tim Ream block after a Saed Kolasinac pullback. Arsenal's forward play was inventive, summed up when Greek defender Sokratis nutmegged Denis Odoi and let fly from distance. French defender Laurent Koscielny flies through the air after being caught by Mitrovic as he tried to win possession Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno is called into action to keep Fulham out in the early stages of the second half Lacazette made sure the Gunners took home all three points as he produced the final touch to a swift team move The former Lyon striker stands and receives the applause from the Arsenal supporters as Fulham players look dejected Moments after scoring his goal, Lacazette required some treatment on an eye injury from the Arsenal medical staff Rico (L) dives to punch the ball clear from danger in the Arsenal box as Fulham looked to find a way back into the match Aubameyang might have added the second, as he cut across the front post but headed wide at the near post from another Iwobi cross. Fuham's menace, however, very much remained. Mitrovic beat three Arsenal defenders in the air but headed straight at Leno and Sokratis was booked after Cairney pirouetted away from Xhaka and Guendouzi. At half-time, Emery altered his team, changing to a four man defence and replacing Shkodran Mustafi with midfielder Lucas Torreira. Lacazette soon scored the second when Iwobi and Aubameyang unlocked Fulham with two reverse passes in tight areas to release Kolasinac. The Bosnian wing-back pulled the ball back and Lacazette thumped in. Arsenal briefly threatened to cut loose. Aubameyang sprinted in behind and Rico saved. Kamara drops to his knees after scoring a consolation goal in what has been a tough week for the Fulham striker Arsenal fans reacted angrily to the decision to substitute Lacazette for Ramsey in the closing stages of the game The Welshman, who looks set to leave the club in the summer, looked elated to have come off the bench and scored a third Aubameyang added to his tally in the closing stages as he looks to continue his bid to win the Premier League Golden Boot Tom Cairney of Fulham can't quite believe the 4-1 scoreline as he questioned his team-mates after the fourth goal went in Yet Arsenal's frailties remained. Mitrovic headed straight at Leno when found unmarked in the six yard box and then Fulham finally did score when Sessegnon's low cross was tapped in by substitute Aboubakar Kamara. The Frenchman had angered manager Claudio Ranieri when he took a penalty from Mitrovic and missed but here he offered Fulham a lifeline. Fulham rattled Arsenal once more. Kamara sprinted in behind but found only Leno when he should have squared for Mitrovic. A victory here would have taken Fulham out of the relegation zone but the reason for their league position is that they cannot be relied upon to perform in the two penalty areas and this was the case once again here. As Fulham chased the game, spaces appeared and after Aubameyang struck the post, Ramsey prodded in the third before Aubameyang did have a goal to cheer as his rifled strike deflected over Rico via Ream's body. All rights reserved for this news site dailymail and under his responsibility