Bukayo Saka returning to top form for trophy-chasing Arsenal thanks in part to Ben White's service - The Radar

In first-half stoppage time of Arsenal's meeting with Fulham at the Emirates Stadium, Ben White and Bukayo Saka exchanged a flurry of passes which had three white-shirted defenders chasing shadows and drew a round of applause from the home fans.

The sequence of play, executed in a tight space on the right-hand side, allowed Arsenal to retain possession and sustain their pressure on the visitors. It also provided an example of the chemistry that makes White and Saka uniquely valuable as a pairing.

Injuries have severely limited their opportunities to play together in the last two seasons, with Mikel Arteta coming to prefer Jurrien Timber at right-back. The Fulham game was the first they both started in the Premier League since December.

Their reunion helps to explain Saka's return to form. After contributing a goal and an assist against Fulham, the 24-year-old sent Arsenal into the Champions League final with his winner against Atletico Madrid, again with White selected behind him.

That stoppage-time flurry of passes against Fulham was just one example of their mutual understanding. The next one arrived only a few minutes later as they combined in their own half, together with Declan Rice, to play their way out of another tight space.

This time, it led to a goal. Saka's pass to Gabriel Magalhaes was high-risk but it allowed Arsenal to transfer the ball to the opposite side of the pitch, where Leandro Trossard had space to charge forward and cross for Viktor Gyokeres to head in their third.