ARSENAL’S PREMIER LEAGUE title hopes were dealt a blow as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Fulham at Craven Cottage.
Mikel Arteta’s side had the chance to narrow the gap on Liverpool at the top to four points but turned in a lethargic first-half display in which Fulham neutralised their attacking threat with relative comfort and took a deserved lead through Raul Jimenez.
The second half brought an appropriate response from a team who sensed their hopes of chasing down the leaders might be slipping away, and when William Saliba’s equaliser in the 51st minute survived a lengthy VAR check the stage appeared set for the visitors to sweep to victory.
But Fulham showed admirable resilience in the face of renewed Arsenal pressure and demonstrated their own credentials as possible European challengers this season.
Bukayo Saka thought he had won it with an 87th-minute header before VAR intervened with an offside call against Gabriel Martinelli, as ultimately Marco Silva’s gameplan frustrated Arsenal to leave their title aspirations tottering.
Arsenal boasted almost 70 per cent of the first-half possession but departed at the break with virtually nothing to show for it. Fulham by contrast attacked sparingly but effectively on the counter, in between squeezing the visitors out of any space that might pave a way to Bernd Leno’s goal.
Saka puts the ball in the back of the net but Arsenal's celebrations are cut short after a VAR check shows Martinelli was offside! ❌ pic.twitter.com/fZUSp3UAHu
The opening goal was a crystallised example. Fulham had withstood Arsenal’s early dominance of the ball when Kenny Tete took possession in his own half and quickly delivered a measured pass into the channel for Jimenez to chase. Jakub Kiwior let the ball run across him, leaving Jimenez’s trajectory clear to race into the box and dispatch a finish low across David Raya into the corner.
Declan Rice sent Leno scrambling across goal with a half-volley that zipped inches past the post as Arsenal conjured a moment of rare first-half promise, then Saka caused rather less worry for the goalkeeper with a horribly skewed volley at the far post.
Arsenal were struggling to play their way into Fulham’s penalty area, finding the way barred by a coordinated defensive action. Saka found a valuable scrap of room inside the box late in the half but Leno was equal to his low near-post drive with a smart stop.
A rebooted Arsenal began the second half with new urgency and levelled within six minutes, with a set-piece once again reaping rich rewards for the Gunners. Rice swung a corner high to the far post where Kai Havertz leapt to send it back across goal and onto the foot of Saliba who knocked it in from three yards.
The following 20 minutes were better than what had gone before from Arsenal but still fell short of Arteta’s side at their incisive best.
Thomas Partey headed wide from another excellent corner delivery by Rice, before Fulham gave a reminder of their own threat when substitute Andreas Pereira broke away and slammed a shot against the legs of Raya.
There was a nervous wait for home fans whilst VAR established that Martinelli had strayed beyond the last defender before crossing for Saka, preserving a creditable point. Anything less would have been cruel on Fulham.
Meanwhile, Late goals from Enes Unal and Dango Ouattara saw Bournemouth come from behind to condemn Ipswich to a crushing 2-1 defeat.
Town blew another Portman Road lead as their wait for a first Premier League home win continued following some drama at the death.
Conor Chaplin’s first Premier League goal looked to have finally ended Town’s duck in front of their own fans.
But for the fourth time this season they were pegged back at home after taking the lead as Unal equalised for the Cherries three minutes from the end.
Leicester produced a grandstand finish to rescue a point in a dramatic 2-2 draw with Brighton and continue their promising start under Ruud van Nistelrooy.
The Dutchman’s honeymoon period at the King Power Stadium looked like lasting one game as the Seagulls cruised into a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Tariq Lamptey and Yankuba Minteh.
But Jamie Vardy gave them hope in 86th minute and then Bobby De Cordova-Reid struck four minutes later to earn a point and keep the feelgood factor alive.
The draw means the Van Nistelrooy is still yet to taste defeat as a manager in English football following his four-game spell as interim boss at Manchester United and his maiden win at Leicester against West Ham on Tuesday.
They remain in trouble at the wrong end of the table, but are moving in the right direction.
The result will feel as bad as a defeat for Brighton, who were in total control and missed the chance to move up to fifth in the table.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
41 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Arsenal's title hopes take a hit as Gunners denied by Fulham and VAR
ARSENAL’S PREMIER LEAGUE title hopes were dealt a blow as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Fulham at Craven Cottage.
Mikel Arteta’s side had the chance to narrow the gap on Liverpool at the top to four points but turned in a lethargic first-half display in which Fulham neutralised their attacking threat with relative comfort and took a deserved lead through Raul Jimenez.
The second half brought an appropriate response from a team who sensed their hopes of chasing down the leaders might be slipping away, and when William Saliba’s equaliser in the 51st minute survived a lengthy VAR check the stage appeared set for the visitors to sweep to victory.
But Fulham showed admirable resilience in the face of renewed Arsenal pressure and demonstrated their own credentials as possible European challengers this season.
Bukayo Saka thought he had won it with an 87th-minute header before VAR intervened with an offside call against Gabriel Martinelli, as ultimately Marco Silva’s gameplan frustrated Arsenal to leave their title aspirations tottering.
Arsenal boasted almost 70 per cent of the first-half possession but departed at the break with virtually nothing to show for it. Fulham by contrast attacked sparingly but effectively on the counter, in between squeezing the visitors out of any space that might pave a way to Bernd Leno’s goal.
The opening goal was a crystallised example. Fulham had withstood Arsenal’s early dominance of the ball when Kenny Tete took possession in his own half and quickly delivered a measured pass into the channel for Jimenez to chase. Jakub Kiwior let the ball run across him, leaving Jimenez’s trajectory clear to race into the box and dispatch a finish low across David Raya into the corner.
Declan Rice sent Leno scrambling across goal with a half-volley that zipped inches past the post as Arsenal conjured a moment of rare first-half promise, then Saka caused rather less worry for the goalkeeper with a horribly skewed volley at the far post.
Arsenal were struggling to play their way into Fulham’s penalty area, finding the way barred by a coordinated defensive action. Saka found a valuable scrap of room inside the box late in the half but Leno was equal to his low near-post drive with a smart stop.
A rebooted Arsenal began the second half with new urgency and levelled within six minutes, with a set-piece once again reaping rich rewards for the Gunners. Rice swung a corner high to the far post where Kai Havertz leapt to send it back across goal and onto the foot of Saliba who knocked it in from three yards.
The following 20 minutes were better than what had gone before from Arsenal but still fell short of Arteta’s side at their incisive best.
Thomas Partey headed wide from another excellent corner delivery by Rice, before Fulham gave a reminder of their own threat when substitute Andreas Pereira broke away and slammed a shot against the legs of Raya.
There was a nervous wait for home fans whilst VAR established that Martinelli had strayed beyond the last defender before crossing for Saka, preserving a creditable point. Anything less would have been cruel on Fulham.
Meanwhile, Late goals from Enes Unal and Dango Ouattara saw Bournemouth come from behind to condemn Ipswich to a crushing 2-1 defeat.
Town blew another Portman Road lead as their wait for a first Premier League home win continued following some drama at the death.
Conor Chaplin’s first Premier League goal looked to have finally ended Town’s duck in front of their own fans.
But for the fourth time this season they were pegged back at home after taking the lead as Unal equalised for the Cherries three minutes from the end.
Leicester produced a grandstand finish to rescue a point in a dramatic 2-2 draw with Brighton and continue their promising start under Ruud van Nistelrooy.
The Dutchman’s honeymoon period at the King Power Stadium looked like lasting one game as the Seagulls cruised into a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Tariq Lamptey and Yankuba Minteh.
But Jamie Vardy gave them hope in 86th minute and then Bobby De Cordova-Reid struck four minutes later to earn a point and keep the feelgood factor alive.
The draw means the Van Nistelrooy is still yet to taste defeat as a manager in English football following his four-game spell as interim boss at Manchester United and his maiden win at Leicester against West Ham on Tuesday.
They remain in trouble at the wrong end of the table, but are moving in the right direction.
The result will feel as bad as a defeat for Brighton, who were in total control and missed the chance to move up to fifth in the table.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
All Square Arsenal Fulham Premier League Soccer