Fulham 1-1 Arsenal

Arsenal needed to accept a 1-1 draw at Fulham, regardless of one more nook, the Gunners having missed the chance to scale back the hole with Premier League leaders Liverpool to 4 factors.

For the second time within the house of 4 days, Arsenal received a free kick simply after half-time, as William Saliba deflected Kai Havertz's header off Declan Rice's nook to degree the match at 1-1 – the twenty third purpose for his or her Gunners. a nook because the begin of final season.

The Gunners had been annoyed all through at Craven Cottage, dominating the sport and giving Fulham little – other than Raul Jimenez's opener after 11 minutes when the Mexican striker broke free from Jakub Kiwior's marking and slammed previous David Raya.

Saliba's purpose survived a prolonged VAR test for offside – however expertise denied Arsenal on the eve of stoppage time as Bukayo Saka's late winner was dominated out for offside early by Gabriel Martinelli.

“[Liverpool head coach] Arne Slot would have had his coronary heart in his mouth watching these ultimate minutes and the most important VAR determination of the season up to now,” stated Aerial sports activities Jamie Redknapp full-time.

“It was completely unimaginable however Martinelli simply needed to keep offside.”

“What a weekend for Liverpool. Man Metropolis drop factors, Arsenal drop factors and so they discover themselves in a good higher place.”

Arsenal had many extra possibilities to attain multiple at Craven Cottage – their greatest possibilities coming from, you guessed it, corners. Saliba ought to have scored from Arsenal's first purpose of the match, however he glanced his head broad, whereas Thomas Partey put an opportunity broad from one other Rice nook.

The Gunners thought that they had received it after Martinelli's cross was headed in by Saka, however VAR noticed the previous had gone too early within the build-up.

“He's offside, however in soccer phrases it's prison on Martinelli's half,” says Paul Merson. “You possibly can't be offside. You look down the road.

“He's acquired tempo, he's electrical, so he's not somebody who's making an attempt to attain a yard and simply play on the sting. I'd be shocked if he wasn't on the finish of a sport within the locker room by the supervisor as a result of he himself is aware of.

“You can see it in his face afterwards, he is aware of you’ll be able to't do this. One factor once you look that means: don't be offside. It's that easy.”

The draw – plus yesterday's postponement of the Merseyside derby resulting from Storm Darragh – means Arsenal have diminished Liverpool's sport result in six factors – however Mikel Arteta's facet will see that as a missed alternative.

Fulham, in the meantime, sit in eleventh place however are nonetheless two factors off fifth place forward of a visit to Liverpool on Saturday.

Arteta 'gutted' as he seeks excellent efficiency

Arsenal supervisor Mikel Arteta:

“I'm disillusioned we didn't win, as a result of I feel we deserved to win from begin to end. We did nearly the whole lot we wanted to do to win it.

“But it surely's the standard of the opposition, with an opportunity they rating a purpose. After which the league margins too. For millimeters we might have been sitting right here with three factors after a really robust efficiency and dominant towards an excellent crew.

“We will't cry about it. That's additionally the great thing about this league. The great thing about this crew too is the best way they’re able to play in the present day, even in these circumstances and towards good opposition. I'm actually blissful about it.

“It's the standard of the opposition. We will't really feel sorry for ourselves. We now have to defend ourselves. We had an excellent efficiency towards an excellent crew. Usually you don't see these sorts of video games right here .

“Now we now have to maintain enhancing and see what we are able to do higher in order that the opposition has no probability of profitable the sport. That's the purpose.”

Evaluation: Corners are nice, however Arsenal want extra open play

Sam Blitz from Sky Sports activities at Craven Cottage:

For the second sport in a row, Arsenal produced an xG of round two, whereas giving their opponents little or no on the different finish. It was sufficient for the victory towards Manchester United, however not sufficient right here.

This was additionally the second sport in a row the place 75% of Arsenal's xG got here from corners alone. On useless ball, the Gunners are phenomenal – however at current, they don’t seem to be doing sufficient in open play.

Arsenal have barely achieved 1.0 xG of their final two video games away from the nook. “It's by no means sufficient in the event you don't rating three, 4 or 5,” Mikel Arteta stated after the match. “If we need to enhance, we now have to be higher at each motion we take.”

Fulham's low block annoyed Arsenal. After all it’s – they’ve the fifth greatest defensive construction within the division with regards to anticipated objectives conceded. Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard barely sniffed within the wings, whereas Kai Havertz was stored out of duels by Issa Diop and Calvin Bassey.

Arsenal face a low block most weeks – “It's soccer. We will't cry about it,” added Arteta – whose crew should develop into extra inventive after they don't have a nook.

Silva: It wasn't our greatest day with the ball

Marco Silva, Fulham coach:

“Powerful match as we hoped, actually powerful for us. It's been a extremely powerful week for us with three video games in eight days. Powerful matches.

“This afternoon we knew it could be tough, Arsenal made it tough for us. Wonderful combating spirit, the gamers caught to the plan. Our first purpose put us in a very good second, it was actually good.

“After Arsenal took management of the sport, I actually consider that – on the ball – it wasn’t our greatest sport.

“Arsenal took the ball from us, they managed the ball, had set items however they solely had one actually good probability from Declan Rice, they didn't have many extra as a result of we acquired them effectively blocked.”

Historical past of the match in statistics

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