The Gunners started brightly and with purpose, taking a deserved lead in the ninth minute when Saka put Raul Jimenez on his backside and laid the ball on a plate for Gyokeres to slot home.

Gyokeres returned the favour shortly before half-time, finding Saka who beat former Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno at his near post to double the lead.

The Sweden striker then ended the contest in added time, heading in Leandro Trossard's cross to cap an impressive performance with his 21st goal of the season in all competitions.

With one eye on Wednesday's (AEST) UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg at home to Atletico Madrid, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta could afford to take off Saka, making his first start since the Caraao Cup final on 23 March (AEST), at half-time.

Gyokeres was denied his hat-trick by a good save from Leno before he too was replaced in a sedate second half with the victory long since wrapped up.

Arsenal moved to 76 points from its 35 games, with second-placed Manchester City on 70 points from 33 games and, perhaps crucially, Arsenal now has a four-goal advantage on goal difference.

The Gunners could, however, be second again if City wins its two matches before Arsenal's next league game at West Ham United on 11 May (AEST).

Arteta deflected a question about whether the performance against Fulham sent a message to City.

"It says to us and to our dressing room that we keep the dream alive," he said.

"What these guys have done, not now but throughout the season, to win that many games in the circumstances that we had to do it, without so many players available at times, is remarkable."

Fulham is 10th with 48 points from 35 games, three points behind west London rival Brentford in sixth and, despite its poor performance, coach Marco Silva said it was still in the running for a first European campaign since 2011-2012.

Arsenal made five changes from last week's 1-1 draw at Atletico Madrid, whose manager Diego Simeone named an entirely different team for his side's trip to Valencia, with Saka captaining the Gunners in the absence of Martin Odegaard.

It made a fast start in a raucous atmosphere, in stark contrast to the nervousness at Emirates Stadium during last weekend's 1-0 win over Newcastle United.

Trossard dragged an early shot across the face of goal shortly before Saka left Jimenez behind and played a simple ball across the six-yard box which Gyokeres duly converted.

Fulham could barely get near its rampant hosts and Leno was repeatedly called into action, saving a Gabriel header from close range and a low effort from Gyokeres.

Riccardo Calafiori had a goal disallowed for offside before Arsenal got its second in the 40th minute after good hold-up play by Gyokeres, who played inside to Saka to fire home and then headed over Leno right before the break.

The second half was a non-event, with a marginally improved Fulham showing more fight but without laying a glove on Arsenal, which nearly added a fourth when Calafiori's header bounced off Leno's head and on to the bar with 10 minutes to play.

The three points but more importantly its assured performance will give Arsenal renewed confidence, after a mini-wobble after the Carabao Cup final defeat seemingly ceded the advantage in the title race to City.

Gyokeres, however, insisted recent results had not affected the side's mentality, saying: "We never stopped believing and we are not going to."