Key events
82 min: Just a glimmer for Arsenal as Saka escapes and Palhinha pulls off an almighty tackle, one he celebrates with a fist-pump.
80 min: Two Fulham changes: Off go Willian and De Cordova-Reid, on come Wilson and Issa Diop. Arsenal almost get back into it as Gabriel chucks himself at a cross, using the wet pitch to slide.
78 min: Tottenham are 2-0 up on Bournemouth, making this a most miserable afternoon for Arsenal so far.
77 min: Bassey is booked for timewasting. He’s had a fine game against the club he was red-carded against early in the season.
75 min: Pereira dances across the sodden turf and pulls off a backheel. Fulham are enjoying their football.
74 min: It’s blowy off the Thames. Maybe this is the storm I mentioned. It’s a pea souper. Arsenal happy to pass the ball around.
72 min: Fulham sub: off goes Iwobi, on goes Pereira. Iwobi applauded by Arsenal fans. That’s a nice gesture.
71 min: Iwobi and Jimenez, using the lesser spotted Rabona tackle, force a chance for Cairney, whose shot is saved by Raya.
69 min: Fulham look calm. There’s a storm to come but Arteta’s changes have left the midfield all to the home team.
67 min: Two Gunners subs. Jesus and Trossard on, Martinelli and White off. Nketiah survives and Arteta opts for a back three.
66 min: The resultant free-kick is in a dangerous position. Well, not that dangerous. Odegaard smashes miles over.
65 min: First booking, and it’s Tom Cairney for his foul on Bukayo Saka.
63 min: Robinson and Bassey misread a Martinelli cross and it falls to Saka who volleys wildly over.
62 min: Arsenal go about their task with gusto. More haste, less speed? They seem a bit frantic.
60 min: Arteta on the sidelines asking for his team to “rise yerself” or suchlike. They’ve been pretty poor in truth.
Goal! Fulham 2-1 Arsenal (De Cordova-Reid, 59)
Willian takes, Palhinha’s header down and deflections aplenty before De Cordova-Reid thrashes home. The look on Arteta’s face is a picture.
58 min: Gabriel heads behind. Him and Dec Rice are not getting on at the moment. Some cross words exchanged before Fulham win another corner.
56 min: De Cordova-Reid shapes to put Jimenez away. Saliba read that one very well. Or else the strike would have been clear on Raya.
55 min: Arsenal seeking to locate their head of steam but being frustrated by Fulham. Willian though continues to buzz around his old team. It takes a Saka tackle to stop him getting away.
53 min: Ben White has space. He doesn’t make much of it, and slices an attempted cross behind the touchlines.
51 min: By the way, Kiwior has departed, and Tomiyasu is in that troubled left-back spot. Always thought Kieran Tierney was underused there, though injuries obviously a factor.
49 min: Fulham want a penalty, they get a corner instead when Castagne falls in the area. This one’s cleared with ease. At the other end, Castagne comes across to stop Nketiah.
47 min: Referee Peter Bankes, from Merseyside, Greater Manchester, comes across Iwobi and that sets up an Arsenal attack. Marco Silva is furious but the move came to nothing. So that’s that
46 min: We go again but first some Charles Antaki: “If Arsenal are allowing Willian – lethargic Willian, not-bothered Willian, Arsenal-era Willian – to look lively then something is greatly amiss. It’s not the right-sided defence, really, it’s just sort of … everything. End of year malaise. The prospect of what global horrors 2024 will bring. Apocalypse now or very soon. But a couple of Saka goals would cure all that.”
Half-time: Fulham 1-1 Arsenal
It’s Fulham who should be the happier, having dropped behind to Saka’s close-range finish. The home team have looked lively when Willian and Jimenez, their goalscorer, have been in tandem. Arsenal have plenty to do in the second half.
45+3 min: Arsenal push on for a half-time lead. Declan Rice steps up to shoot. But he’s as off-target as the rest of his teammates.
45+2 min: Nketiah, at last, gets a chance to shoot. But it would be ambitious to score from the angle he attempts his shot from. A sign of desperation for a player who has had a quiet half.
45 min: Four minutes are added on. Willian and Jimenez, the old men, almost set each other up for an attack. The danger is averted.
44 min: Palhinha is sold short, and then Arsenal go away with the ball, only for Calvin Bassey, excellent so far, to storm out and win it. Eventually, Tosin gets room to have a shot….and misses by miles.
42 min: Martinelli, fed by Odegaard, smashes wide. It was a good shot just hit with too much swerve. Better by Arsenal. Odegaard has been kept quiet thus far.
42 min: Gabriel Jesus is warming up. He will surely come on in the second half. It’s not been a good game so far for Eddie.
40 min: Saka complains as he loses a battle of muscle with Jimenez. “Referee” goes the cry from the Gunners fans, who are not happy with life at the moment.
