Fulham 2-1 Arsenal: Fulham comeback to deny Gunners the chance to end the year at the summit

Arsenal had been struggling recently, experiencing consecutive failures to secure victories. As a result, there was a certain amount of pressure on them to end the year 2023 on a high note.

Their quest began perfectly, with Bukayo Saka scoring within the first five minutes. This happened when Bernd Leno, a former Arsenal player, unintentionally redirected Gabriel Martinelli's shot into Saka's path, leaving the net unguarded.

Following the opening goal, Arsenal seemed to become more cautious, allowing Fulham to take advantage of their perceived vulnerability. Fulham capitalized on this opportunity and equalized midway through the first half, thanks to Tom Cairney's precise cross, which was expertly finished by Raul Jimenez.

This marks a significant turnaround for Jimenez, who has now scored four goals in his last four league matches, matching his total from the previous 50 games.

However, Fulham were fortunate that his strike resulted in a tie at halftime, as a momentary lapse in defensive focus allowed Martin Odegaard to set up Martinelli in the penalty area, but his attempt narrowly missed the post.

This proved to be a significant escape for Fulham, who capitalized on their second chance shortly before the 60-minute mark when a corner created chaos in the Arsenal box. Following a series of deflections, Bobby De Cordova-Reid emphatically put the Cottagers in an unexpected lead.

Mikel Arteta was incredulous that his team didn't immediately respond. Despite scoring his first goal in nearly a month during the first half, Saka squandered a golden opportunity to equalize at the far post.

The Gunners experienced a downpour of torrential rain at Craven Cottage, which seemed to align with their recent struggles. They were on the verge of a third consecutive winless league game this season. However, they were saved from a larger deficit by David Raya's impressive save to deny Cairney from long range.

Arsenal had some luck on their side as they not only avoided a red card for a controversial Salbia foul but also escaped a heavier defeat when Pereira's strike hit the crossbar from a resulting free-kick.

Unfortunately, Arteta's men couldn't take advantage of this lifeline. Their four-match winning streak in New Year's Eve fixtures came to an abrupt end, while Fulham secured three points to distance themselves from the relegation zone.