Arsenal 2-1 Fulham: Gabriel rescued the Gunners with a late goal to claim another 3 points
Match report and free highlights as Gabriel Magalhaes scored a late victory after his blunder gave Fulham the lead; Martin Odegaard leveled for Mikel Arteta’s side; Gunners return to the top of the Premier League with four straight wins.
The Arsenal center-back was fouled on the outside of his own box for Fulham’s first, allowing Aleksandar Mitrovic to put the visitors ahead against the flow of play (56).
After the superb Martin Odegaard equalized with a deflected drive from Bukayo Saka’s cross (64), Gabriel tucked home from a few yards out when former Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno failed to grab a corner (85).
Fulham had showed amazing determination up until that point, with Leno making a run of saves to deny his former club as the hosts controlled, but Arsenal’s pressure ultimately paid off at a joyous Emirates Stadium, with Gabriel’s strike returning them to the top of the Premier League.
Arsenal came into the game looking to keep their winning streak going, but Fulham had their own undefeated start to defend and showed grit in the face of first-half pressure.
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The hosts lacked some of their previous fluidity in the absence of Thomas Partey and Oleksandr Zinchenko, who were both injured in training on Friday, but they dominated possession and territory from the outset, albeit without generating many clear opportunities.
Granit Xhaka should have scored after being set up by Gabriel Jesus, and Gabriel Martinelli struck the crossbar from a corner, but their greatest chance of the first period came to Bukayo Saka, whose one-on-one shot was superbly saved by Leno.
After the break, the Gunners created a flurry of chances, with Odegaard and Jesus denied by Leno, but Fulham’s opener came moments later when Gabriel dallied and Mitrovic, whose physicality caused problems throughout, punished him to steal possession and beat Aaron Ramsdale for his fourth goal of the season.
Odegaard’s equalizer was assisted by a deflection after Saka had picked up William Saliba’s pass and moved it on to the Norwegian, and while Fulham came close to retaking the lead moments later when Mitrovic was denied by Ramsdale and Ben White blocked the follow-up, the Gunners eventually broke through.
Under pressure from numerous Arsenal players, Leno couldn’t handle Martinelli’s corner, and Gabriel reacted quickly to nudge the ball over the line and ignite riotous celebrations in north London as Arteta’s side maintained their blistering start to the season.
