Arsenal arrived at Craven Cottage hoping to continue their winning streak and keep their Premier League title challenge alive. However, despite dominating possession and generating chances, Mikel Arteta's side settled for a 1-1 draw against Fulham, a result that was not what they had hoped for.
Raúl Jiménez gave Fulham the lead in the first half, while William Saliba equalized for the Gunners in the second half. Despite the chances, the three points slipped away in the end.
Early Goal From Jimenez Surprises Arsenal
The match started with high intensity from Arsenal, who controlled possession and put Fulham under pressure from the start. However, in their first offensive attempt, Fulham surprised everyone when Raul Jimenez opened the scoring in the 11th minute.
After a well-executed move, the Mexican striker took advantage of a through ball that left the Arsenal defense behind and beat David Raya with a precise shot. While Arsenal made efforts to regroup, this early goal short-circuited their rhythm and allowed Fulham to gain confidence.
For the remainder of the first half, Arsenal were unable to capitalize on the several chances they created. Although they had several corner kicks, one of their most dangerous moves, they failed to score. On the other hand, Fulham, with a solid defense led by Issa Diop, managed to neutralize the Gunners' offensives and sat comfortably on their one-goal lead.
Frustration began to show in the Arsenal players, who could not find a way to penetrate the home defense.
Saliba's Tie And Lack Of Accuracy In The Final Stretch
After the break, Arsenal came out with renewed energy and quickly began to find more space on the pitch. The turning point came in the 52nd minute, when a corner kick taken by Declan Rice found Kai Havertz, who passed the ball to William Saliba for the French defender to head home.
This goal levelled the score and revitalized an Arsenal side that was beginning to show signs of its best. The goal was the result of the set-piece strategy that Arsenal has perfected under Nicolás Jové, who arrived from Manchester City to improve this aspect of the game.
With the equalizer, Arsenal regained confidence and began to dominate possession again. However, the changes made by Arteta in search of victory did not have the desired effect.
Despite continuing to create chances, the team failed to convert them, leaving the door open for a Fulham side that, while falling back in defense, never stopped fighting to hold on for a draw.
In the final minutes, Arsenal had what looked to be a decisive chance when Bukayo Saka headed home from Martinelli's cross. However, the VAR intervened and disallowed the goal due to Martinelli's offside on the previous play, leaving Arsenal empty-handed.
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A Painful Draw For The Gunners
While a draw may seem like a fair result after 90 minutes played, Arsenal were clearly frustrated at not getting the three points. With the win, Arsenal could have moved closer to Liverpool in the title race, but now remain six points behind with a game in hand.
This lack of away form is a constant for Arteta's side, who have failed to win any of their last 24 Premier League games when trailing at half-time, with only one win in such situations since his arrival at the club.
Fulham, for their part, stood firm and defended well to secure the draw. Despite their limited number of chances, the home side made the most of their only shot on target in the first half and managed the game well defensively. Although they did not have many chances in the second half, they knew how to keep Arsenal at bay.
The draw left a bitter taste for Arsenal, who saw two important points slip away in their fight for the title. The team was unable to overcome a well-organized Fulham and was left empty-handed on a day when much more was expected. Arteta's team will have to improve their performance away from home if they want to keep their chances of fighting for the championship.
