Source: Telegraph
Fulham 0 Arsenal 1: match report
No theatrics from Robin Van Persie just a sensational little coup de theatre instead. Having admitted he had, on occasions, exaggerated the effects of a foul to gain a free kick or penalty, the Arsenal striker was not only the paragon of probity against Fulham but scored the decisive goal. [LNB]How Arsenal needed such a classy intervention which lifted them into fifth place but was hard on a Fulham side who are struggling to balance out the demands of league and Europe this season. They certainly deserved far more here but instead hover above the relegation zone. [LNB] Related ArticlesLiverpool 6 Hull City 1Tottenham 5 Burnley 0Premier League photosPremier League tableTelegraph player raterPremier League fixturesIt was also an extraordinary evening for Arsenal's third-choice goalkeeper, the 21-year-old Italian Vito Mannone who has come under scrutiny but who, twice, superbly denied Andrew Johnson, with headers, but was also buffeted by his own defender William Gallas in a further sign that things aren't quite clicking for Arsène Wenger's side. [LNB]They were for long periods, disjointed, lethargic and struggled to find any rhythm while Mannone, making only his fourth senior appearance, also prevented a goal-bound effort by Clint Dempsey with his face. Andrei Arshavin who had missed Arsenal's previous three matches through injury appeared ring-rusty and his team-mates were not much slicker as Fulham upped the tempo and snapped into tackles. [LNB]Johnson was caught by Thomas Vermeulen on the corner of the area, an advantage was played and Zoltan Gera's low cross-shot, collecting the striker's flick, was pushed away by Mannone as Fulham gradually took hold of more territory. Another opportunity came. Again Johnson and Gera were involved and this time the latter centred for Bobby Zamora to head wide with Gallas challenging. [LNB]By now Fulham should have capitalised on Arsenal's torpor. As the players returned for the second-half, Arsène Wenger ran across the pitch. He showed more urgency than his team had so far. Again, however, it was Fulham threatening even if Zamora shot too early when presented with a chance by Gera with a clever reverse pass. The sight of Fàbregas then, with a hint of panic, hacking the ball away summed up Arsenal's plight and Fulham's sway. [LNB]However such is Arsenal's quality that they can make a mockery of proceedings in a blink of an eye. And they did just that. Alex Song intercepted, Fàbregas flighted a pass for Van Persie to run onto and the striker, after one touch, slid his left-footed shot across Mark Schwarzer and into the net. It was a sublime moment. [LNB]Seconds later and Schwarzer saved from Bendtner, after he was released by Van Persie, but then back came Fulham and Mannone again parried a Johnson header only for the ball to run to Dempsey, once more, but he could only turn his shot across the face of goal. Soon after Dempsey went closer, his shot deflecting off Bacary Sagna and clipping the post before, somehow, Gallas intervened to deny Zamora with Mannone clattered. [LNB]The goalkeeper learnt. The next time the ball came into the area it was him doing the clattering, taking Zamora and punching the ball before superbly pushing away Johnson's low shot. He did even better in stopping Zamora's header. [LNB]
