Fulham’s three points were snatched away in the closing seconds at the Emirates after more late drama for the second week in a row.
Josh Maja’s scored an emphatic penalty after 57 minutes following a trip on Mario Lemina, and just when it looked there was to be a massive win, Eddie Nketiah came off the bench to grab a late equaliser.
In his 100th game in charge, Scott Parker made five changes from the side that played Wolves last Friday as Maja, Tosin, Frank Anguissa, Ademola Lookman and Ivan Cavaleiro all came in to start.
Kenny Tete was forced out after returning a positive Covid test, whilst Terrence Kongolo was also sidelined after sustaining a season-ending injury last-time-out. Lookman’s return from a knock meant there was some good news on the injury front also.
It wasn’t long until Arsenal had a sight of goal. In the second minute of action, Alexandre Lacazette dinked the ball into Granit Xhaka who tried to chip the onrushing Alphonse Areola a few yards out, but it trickled just wide for an early let-off.
It was a bright start for the Gunners in the bright sunshine, and they were in again a few minutes later. Emile Smith Rowe put in some neat work to scramble away down the left before cutting the ball back towards Gabriel Martinelli, whose hook towards goal was saved by Areola.
Fulham enjoyed a decent spell of possession for the next moments of the game, but were struggling to push into the Arsenal half amidst intense pressing from the men in red.
Maja went so close to opening the scoring after 20 minutes as Parker’s men started to take the game to the home side. Bobby De Cordova-Reid got a shot off just outside the box which was deflected into Maja’s path. His instinctive poke towards goal was on target if not for a Rob Holding diversion, which almost squirmed in still.
The Whites were certainly growing into the game now and asserting some dominance of their own but got little reward for some driving upfield runs and attacking threat.
Up the other end, Arsenal then thought they had taken the lead after 40 minutes, when Dani Ceballos headed one in from close quarters. However, after a VAR review the goal was disallowed for the tightest of offsides on Bukayo Saka in the build-up.
Seconds before the half-time whistle was blown, Mikel Arteta’s side had the ball in the next for a second time, but this time the offside was much clearer on Smith Rowe as he surged through the middle.
There was a lively start to the second period with attacks coming at both ends within the first minute. Tenacious work from Lemina gave Cavaleiro some space on the edge of the box before the ball was pinched, kick-starting an Arsenal breakaway. Martinelli ran the length of the pitch before squaring to Lacazette, who could only put his shot wide from 25-yards.
Saka had been a menace all game and hit the post from an acute angle after 55 minutes, dribbling the ball well down the right and cutting inside before cannoning his shot off.
Moments later and there was more VAR drama going in Fulham’s favour. Following Lemina’s surging run, the midfield man was brought down for a penalty. A lengthy check was then carried out by VAR firstly for the foul and then to make sure there was no hint of offside on Ola Aina in the attacking sequence.
After finally being given the all-clear, Maja stepped up bravely and blasted his spot-kick high and powerfully into the net to put Fulham into the lead.
Arsenal had to come back fighting and they did, coming up against resolute Fulham defending as has been seen so often this campaign. Hector Bellerin glanced a header narrowly wide, before Tosin had to hook a Nicolas Pepe header off the line in a nervy few moments.
The Fulham backline were holding firm to the Gunners pressure, with captain Joachim Andersen leading by example to hook, head and clear everything coming into our box.
Saka took a speculative effort from 30-yards out as the clock ticked down which soared well over, perhaps epitomising the frustration from the home side who couldn’t break through.
Martinelli went close soon after, requiring Areola to hold firm at his near post. The Frenchman had a busy closing minutes and saved brilliantly yet again from close-range with little time left to play.
But there was to be yet another cruel twist to the ending of this one as Arsenal did get their point late on. Nketiah tapped in at the back post in a scrappy end to the contest, and this time the VAR decision for an offside on Holding didn’t go our way.
We now have a short break in fixtures before going again at Stamford Bridge in a couple of week’s time.
Arsenal: Ryan; Bellerin (Pepe 68’), Gabriel, Holding, Xhaka; Elneny (Partey 68’), Ceballos; Saka, Smith Rowe, Martinelli; Lacazette (Nketiah 70’)
Fulham: Areola; De Cordova-Reid, Aina, Andersen, Tosin, Robinson; Anguissa, Lemina; Lookman (Reed 70’), Maja (Loftus-Cheek 77’), Cavaleiro (Bryan 84’)
