Arsenal drops valuable points in 1-1 draw against Fulham

Arsenal's pursuit of Premier League leaders Liverpool suffered a setback on Sunday afternoon as they were held to a 1-1 draw in a hard-fought London derby against Fulham. Despite a dominant opening from Mikel Arteta’s side, they were unable to find a winning goal, and as a result, their gap to Liverpool grew even larger.

Fulham strikes first

The Gunners came into the match knowing that a win was crucial to keep pace with Liverpool, but despite their early dominance, it was Fulham who struck first. In the 25th minute, Kenny Tete picked out striker Raul Giménez with a well-timed pass, and the Mexican forward made no mistake, finishing confidently past Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya to give Fulham a 1-0 lead. Arsenal had been controlling the game up until that point, but the home side’s clinical finishing left Arteta’s team frustrated. The Gunners knew they had to respond quickly, and they didn't waste time in the second half.

Arsenal’s response via set-piece

Arsenal has made set-pieces a key part of their attacking strategy this season, and it was that same formula that led to their equalizer. In the 50th minute, Arsenal earned a corner kick—always a dangerous opportunity for them. The delivery from Bukayo Saka found William Saliba at the near post, and the French defender made no mistake, heading the ball past Fulham’s goalkeeper to bring the score level at 1-1.

Dominance without the breakthrough

After equalizing, Arsenal continued to dominate possession and pressure Fulham, but the Gunners were unable to break down Fulham’s defense for the remainder of the match. Despite several chances and a strong performance from players like Martin Ødegaard and Gabriel Martinelli, Arsenal struggled to find that elusive second goal.

Saka’s winner disallowed

Just when it looked like Arsenal had secured a late winner, disaster struck for The Gunners. In the final moments of the match, Gabriel Martinelli sent in a cross to Bukayo Saka, who bundled the ball into the net at the second post. However, the goal was ruled out after a VAR check revealed that Martinelli had been offside in the build-up, leaving Arsenal frustrated as they were denied all three points. Despite Arsenal’s late efforts, Fulham stood firm and managed to secure a hard-earned point from the match. The result leaves Arsenal seven points behind Liverpool, further complicating their title chase. Fulham, on the other hand, can take pride in their defensive resilience and the valuable point earned in a high-stakes derby.

The road ahead for Arsenal

With another two points dropped, Arsenal now faces an uphill battle to keep pace with Liverpool in the title race. The draw against Fulham will certainly sting, especially after dominating much of the match. Arsenal will need to regroup and find a way to turn these draws into wins if they hope to stay in contention for the Premier League crown.