Football Soccer - Premier League - Arsenal vs Fulham - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - August 26, 2023: Arsenal's Gabriel Jesus clashes with Fulham's Bernd Leno. REUTERS/Tony Obrien License secured.LONDON, August 26 (Reuters) - Arsenal's pursuit of victory was thwarted as 10-man Fulham managed a late goal to force a 2-2 draw at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, denying Mikel Arteta's team a provisional top spot in the Premier League.The outcome places the Gunners in second position with seven points, trailing behind their North London rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, solely on the basis of goal difference.The action-packed encounter saw Andreas Pereira netting for Fulham within the opening minute. However, Arsenal responded with a quick succession of goals in the second half, courtesy of Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah.Advertisement · Scroll to continueFulham's fortunes took a hit when Calvin Bassey received his marching orders following a second yellow card in the 83rd minute. Despite being reduced to 10 men, they managed to level the score as Joao Palhinha capitalized on a corner kick.Speaking to the BBC, Palhinha shared, "Regrettably, we didn't clinch a victory, but I view this as a positive outcome. Taking on Arsenal is always a challenge. While our intention was to secure a win, the paramount aspect was the unwavering effort we demonstrated until the very end, even when down to 10 men."Advertisement · Scroll to continue "The final 10 minutes were a struggle. I positioned myself in the defensive line, and we gave our all to safeguard our territory. This approach ultimately led us to a favorable result."Fulham's moment arrived just 57 seconds into the match, with Pereira capitalizing on a loose pass from Saka. Spotting Arsenal's goalkeeper, Aaron Ramsdale, out of position, Pereira unleashed a powerful shot from nearly 30 meters, securing a surprising lead.Saka, undeterred by his mistake, responded with renewed determination, orchestrating several opportunities in the first half. His efforts were rewarded when he confidently converted a penalty, drawing Arsenal level after 70 minutes of play.The home team's spirited comeback was completed two minutes later. Fabio Vieira's well-placed cross found substitute Nketiah, who made no mistake in finding the back of the net.Fulham's hopes were dealt a blow when Bassey cynically fouled Nketiah to halt a potential counter-attack. However, Marco Silva's side exhibited resilience, equalizing in the 87th minute as Palhinha expertly volleyed in a corner kick, outfoxing Ramsdale and securing a valuable point."
