Arsenal 2-2 Fulham

A never-say-die Fulham performance saw us claim a 2-2 draw away to Arsenal on Saturday afternoon.

Andreas Pereira scored the quickest Premier League goal of the season to date when he nestled a perfect finish into the net from range after 57 seconds, following a loose Bakaya Saka pass.

The England winger made amends in the second half with a cool penalty after a foul by Kenny Tete, with Eddie Nketiah swinging momentum in the Gunners’ favour soon after.

A red card for Calvin Bassey could have been curtains for the Whites, but this is a team made of stern stuff, as demonstrated by João Palhinha’s deft finish at a corner.

Marco Silva made two changes to the team that were beaten by Brentford a week earlier. Palhinha’s return to fitness in that game meant a start for him at the Emirates, with Harrison Reed dropping to the bench, while Bassey was handed a full debut in place of the suspended Tim Ream.

Bobby De Cordova-Reid – a long-time member of the Club’s leadership group – led the side as Captain for the first time.

Fulham could not have made a better start to proceedings, taking the lead inside a minute, when Saka got his pass back to Aaron Ramsdale all wrong. Andreas was on the loose pass in a flash, and weighed up the home goalkeeper’s positioning before clipping a perfect strike inside the near post from 25 yards.

That naturally shellshocked our hosts but they did grow back into the game, though Bernd Leno didn’t have to make a save until the 18th minute, and that was a simple one as he got down to scoop up Gabriel Martinelli’s low effort.

Martinelli had a much better effort moment later from a corner, but Raúl Jiménez made a brilliant block six yards out to deny a certain goal.

Raúl was in the thick of it, following up a – perhaps harsh – yellow card for a foul on Saka with a stunning overhead kick which dropped agonisingly wide of Ramsdale’s far post, and then seeing another shot deflect behind for a corner.

It was a strong spell of pressure from the Whites, with Harry Wilson next to try his luck after cutting in from the right, but his effort from distance bent away from goal.

In what was an entertaining contest, Arsenal were next to turn the screw, with Saka heading into the ground and over from close range, before Martinelli drew a fine near post stop from Leno.

Martin Ødegaard did have the ball the net four minutes before the break with a cool finish into the bottom corner, but Kai Havertz – who assisted him – was comfortably offside in the build-up.

The Gunners skipper then took aim from some way out, but Leno watched the ball all the way and made a firm catch, which wouldn’t have been easy since the heavens had recently opened.

Mikel Arteta showed his intentions with the introduction of striker Nketiah at half-time, and his side did begin proceedings on the front foot, with Saka testing Leno again a few minutes in.

Fulham were mainly looking to catch our hosts on the counter, with one such opportunity arising when Saša Lukić pinched possession and fed Andreas. He picked out De Cordova-Reid on his left who advanced before trying to guide one inside the far post, only for it to drop a yard wide.

Ødegaard was keen to make things happen for his team, but after shooting straight at Leno, he bent another attempt off target from an acute angle.

Midway through the half, Arsenal were awarded a penalty when Tete brought down substitute Fabio Vieira in the box – Saka making amends for his first minute error by sending Leno the wrong way for 1-1.

It was a turning point in the game. A ruthless attack – one aided by Bassey being taken out of the equation after being brought down by Saka – ended with Vieira picking out Nketiah in the middle who was left with a simple finish.

Bassey was involved in another key incident in the 83rd minute, blocking off Nketiah to earn a second yellow card, meaning Fulham lost our left centre-back to a dismissal in successive matches.

One could have forgiven the boys’ heads dropping, but that was not the case at all, with Palhinha stunning the majority inside the Emirates when he swept home a late corner from Harrison Reed.

Fulham threatened to win it in the seventh minute of nine added on when substitute Adama Traoré had the pace and power to burst beyond last man Ben White, but Ramsdale made himself big to repel his poked effort.

As we ticked into thee 100th minute, Vieira – whose introduction had changed the game – took aim from the edge of the box, but Leno made a flying save to deny him.

It meant Fulham had to see out a couple of nervy corners, but the lads did that well to lock in a richly deserved share of the points.