Why Bassey's family will be delighted with Arsenal's hard-fought win over Fulham

Arsenal claimed a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Fulham in a cagey Premier League encounter at Craven Cottage on Saturday evening, allnigeriasoccer.com reports.

The major talking point before kickoff was the absence of Samuel Chukwueze from the matchday squad, a strong indication that the winger failed a late fitness test after sustaining a calf injury while on international duty with Nigeria earlier in the week.

Calvin Bassey, who featured in both of the Super Eagles' World Cup qualifying matches against Lesotho and Benin, was named among the substitutes for the first time this season. 

Meanwhile, Alex Iwobi earned a starting berth against his former club.

Fulham boss Marco Silva was forced into an early reshuffle when Joachim Andersen suffered an injury three minutes before half-time, with Issa Diop replacing him. 

The Portuguese manager opted for the right-footed defender over Bassey in a tactical decision.

The decisive moment arrived in the 58th minuteas Leandro Trossard netted his first Premier League goal of the season, turning home from close range after Bukayo Saka's corner caused havoc in the Fulham box.

Silva introduced Bassey in the 82nd minute, bringing him on for Jorge Cuenca, but Arsenal’s defence held firm to secure all three points.

Remarkably, the Gunners restricted the hosts to no shots on target throughout the game, showcasing their growing defensive solidity.

Despite his late appearance, Bassey's family, staunch Arsenal supporters, would have taken some consolation in seeing their beloved club emerge victorious.

The Nigerian international had previously revealed to Sky Sports that his relatives once teased him for being sent off against the Gunners at the Emirates in August 2023.

"My family are Arsenal supporters... they're supporting me, I get sent off, then they're just laughing!" Bassey said.

The result leaves Fulham 14th in the Premier League with eight points from eight matches.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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