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Arsenal had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Fulham at Craven Cottage, even though they showed off their corner skills again. William Saliba’s equalizer right after halftime gave the Gunners some hope, but late VAR drama snatched away their chance for all three points when Bukayo Saka’s potential winner was ruled out.
Now, Arsenal is four points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool, and Mikel Arteta’s squad is kicking themselves for missed chances in a match they mostly controlled.
Fulham struck first in the 11th minute with Raul Jimenez, who slipped past Jakub Kiwior to blast a shot past David Raya. The goal shocked Arsenal, who started slow and had a tough time breaking through Fulham’s solid defense in the first half.
But just like midweek, Arsenal bounced back right after halftime. Declan Rice sent in a perfect corner that Kai Havertz headed toward goal, and Saliba deflected it in for the equalizer. That was Arsenal’s 23rd goal from a corner since last season, showing off their set-piece skills.
VAR was a big player in this match. While Saliba’s goal survived a long offside check, Arsenal got denied what could’ve been a dramatic winner. In the dying moments, Saka headed in a Martinelli cross, but the Brazilian was ruled offside in the buildup.
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The Gunners had plenty of chances to grab the win, especially from corners. Saliba missed an earlier chance from Arsenal’s first set piece, glancing a header wide. Later, Thomas Partey wasted another good opportunity from a Declan Rice delivery.
Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard admitted the team fell short, especially in the first half. “We were a bit sloppy and lacked energy and power. The second half was much better, but we didn’t do enough today,” he told Sky Sports.
The draw keeps Liverpool’s lead at four points after the Merseyside derby was postponed due to Storm Darragh. While Arsenal’s title race position is still strong, this was a missed chance to put more pressure on the leaders.
As Arsenal gears up for the next game, Mikel Arteta’s squad will need to find their sharpness again to avoid similar frustrations.
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