LONDON, May 2 (Reuters) - Arsenal opened up a ⁠six-point lead at the top of the Premier League on Saturday with a comfortable 3-0 win at home to Fulham, thanks to ⁠a first-half double from Viktor Gyokeres either side of a goal from Bukayo Saka.

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 halftime, 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 Tuesday's 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 League Cup final ⁠on ‌March 22, at halftime.

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

The Gunners could, ​however, be second again if City win their ‌two matches before Arsenal's next league game at West Ham United on May 10.

Arteta deflected a question about whether Saturday's performance sent ⁠a message to City, telling ​reporters: "It says to us and to our dressing room that we keep the dream alive."

Fulham are 10th with 48 points from 35 games, three points behind west London rivals Brentford in sixth and, despite their poor performance, coach Marco Silva said they were still in the running for a first European campaign since 2011/12.

ARSENAL MAKE LIGHT WORK ⁠OF FULHAM

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

They made a fast start in a raucous atmosphere, in stark contrast to the nervousness at the Emirates Stadium during last Saturday'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 their 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 their 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, who nearly added a fourth when Calafiori's header bounced off Leno's head ​and onto the bar with 10 minutes to play.

The three points but more importantly their ‌assured performance will give Arsenal renewed confidence, after a mini-wobble following the League ​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, telling Sky Sports: "We never stopped believing and we are not going to."

(Reporting by Sam Tobin; editing by Clare Fallon and Pritha Sarkar)