Match Report
Fulham (1) 1-1 (0) Arsenal
Premiership Match Day 15 24/25 at Craven Cottage
Referee:
Chris Kavanagh (Lancashire)
Live on SkySports
|
Fulham and Arsenal played out a 1-1 draw at a cold and wet Craven Cottage on Sunday afternoon.
Raul Jimenez’s clinical finish was the difference between the sides at half-time, before William Saliba restored parity from close range soon after the restart.
Bukayo Saka thought he’d snatched the points in the 88th minute in front of a jubilant away end, but VAR spotted an offside in the build-up, to ensure the boys claimed the point that their disciplined performance merited.
There were four changes to the side that dispatched Brighton in midweek. Timothy Castagne, Harry Wilson, Rodrigo Muniz and the injured/ineligible Reiss Nelson all dropped out, with Kenny Tete, Adama Traoré, Raul and Sasa Lukic brought in.
Having scored Fulham’s first goal in this fixture last season, Raul repeated the trick again in the 11th minute, racing onto Tete’s perfectly weighted through ball and finishing low across David Raya from a tight angle.
Arsenal had enjoyed plenty of the ball up to that point and continued to dominate possession afterwards, too, but a dragged Declan Rice volley and a couple of corners didn’t cause Bernd Leno too much concern.
| Match Stats |
Fulham |
Arsenal |
| Goals |
(1) 1 |
1 (0) |
|
| Scorers |
Jimenez 11 |
Saliba 52 |
| , |
| Goal attempts |
2 |
12 |
| On target |
2 |
4 |
| Shooting Accuracy |
100% |
33% |
| Possession |
33% |
67% |
| Passes |
295 |
590 |
| Passes Success |
72% |
89% |
| Corners |
0 |
6 |
| Tackles |
27 |
7 |
| Tackles Success |
59% |
71% |
| Saves |
3 |
1 |
| Fouls |
10 |
9 |
| Offsides |
0 |
3 |
| Yellows |
4 |
2 |
| Reds |
0 |
0 |
| source: SkySports |
Saka got into a more dangerous position in the 38th minute, but Leno was down quickly to push away his former teammate’s right footed strike, before a wicked delivery from the England winger was centimetres away from being tucked in by the stretching Rice.
An off-target Issa Diop volley in stoppage time proved to be only our second attempt of the half, but the boys deserved tremendous credit for their shape and discipline, frustrating the Gunners time and again.
Arsenal have won plenty of plaudits for their success from corners this season, and they had another in the 52nd minute when Saliba poked in Kai Havertz’s knockdown from Rice’s delivery, with the centre-back remaining onside by the finest of margins.
That goal gave the visitors a confidence that we hadn’t seen in the first half, with Leandro Trossard and Havertz both working shooting opportunities, drawing a save from Leno and dragging wide, respectively.
Another excellent Rice corner presented danger with 20 to play, but Thomas Partey could only head wide.
A minute later substitute Andreas Pereira tried to catch Raya out at his near post after running half the length of the pitch to get on the end of Sander Berge’s excellent ball over the top, but the Arsenal goalkeeper stood his ground and made the save.
Fulham had defended manfully throughout, so Saka’s late header felt like an absolute knife to the gut, but we were handed a reprieve as his assister Gabriel Martinelli had strayed offside in the build-up.
It would have been cruel on the Whites, and so the VAR intervention made the point feel all the more satisfying.
Fulham: Leno, Tete, Diop, Bassey, Robinson, Berge, Lukic (Cuenca 92), Iwobi, Smith Rowe (Pereira 60), Traore (Wilson 60), Jimenez (Muniz 80)
Unused substitutes: Castagne, Benda, King, Sessegnon, Godo
Goals:
Raul Jimenez 11 ( First attack, first goal! Fulham take an unlikely lead.
It's brilliant movement from the forward, and it looks like he holds his own.
He gets behind Kiwior as he collects the midfield pass, driving into the area before finishing into the far left corner past Raya.
A nice finish and Arsenal are behind at Craven Cottage.)
Booked: Lukic (50,f), Bassey (72,f), Jimenez (79, delaying restart), Robinson (88,f),
Arsenal : Raya, Partey, Saliba, Kiwior, Timber, odegaard (Nwaneri 79), Jorginho (Merino 74), Rice, Saka, Havertz (Gabriel Jesus 74), Trossard (Martinelli 60)
Unused substitutes: Tierney, Sterling, Neto, Lewis-Skelly, Heaven
Goals:
Saliba 52 (Arsenal corner, Arsenal goal! We've heard that a few times this season.
VAR are checking this for offside though...
Rice's delivery finds Havertz towards the back, which he heads on. Saliba is waiting in the six yard box, and he manages to poke the ball home.
But is he onside?)
Booked: Martinelli (82,dis), Rice (97,f),
Referee:
Chris Kavanagh (Lancashire)
Attendance: 26,954
Fulham are next in action on Saturday 14th December at 15.00 away at Liverpool.