- Date:2009-09-26
- Kick-off:17:30
- Venue:Craven Cottage
- Attendance:25700
- Referee:Atkinson, M
Live Commentary
90mins
Full time: FULHAM 0-1 ARSENAL: Van Persie was the goal scorer but Mannone was the hero. The Arsenal keeper made four world class saves to leave Fulham wondering how they lost this one.
85mins
Into the last five minutes and Fulham will feel hard done by if they lose this one. Can they beat Mannone in the closing stages?
82mins
Etuhu is replaced by Greening.
82mins
Van Persie makes way for Eboue.
80mins
It's a one man show here as Mannone makes another save from Murphy's shot.
79mins
Mannone is at it again! He keeps out a pointblank header from Zamora this time.
77mins
Konchesky is booked for a late tackle on Fabregas.
75mins
Mannone makes another good stop from Johnson's shot and Sagna clears.
72mins
Song blazes high over the bar from 25 yards out.
70mins
Pantsil picks up a booking for the tackle.
70mins
Pantsil gets in a block tackle to deny Rosicky.
68mins
Arshavin makes way for Rosicky.
68mins
Zamora can't finish Murphy's cross and Gallas clears.
67mins
Dempsey's shot deflects off Sagna for a corner to the home side.
65mins
The pace of the game has dropped as both teams battle it out in midfield.
62mins
Dempsey drags his 30 yard shot wide of the target.
60mins
Johnson races away but Fabregas tracks him and wins the ball back.
57mins
Another great stop from Mannone denys Johnson.
55mins
Great save by Schwarzer from Bendtner's driven shot. Arsenal cut Fulham open with some trademark passing.
52mins
FULHAM 0-1 ARSENAL: VAN PERSIE slides the ball home from Fabregas' excellent pass.
49mins
Sagna does well to head clear from Gera's lofted cross.
48mins
Hughes does well to ease van Persie off the ball in the Fulham box.
47mins
Zamora lets fly from 30 yards and the ball goes narrowly wide of the Arsenal goal.
45mins
The teams are back out. No changes for either side.
45mins
Half time: FULHAM 0-0 ARSENAL: Gunners keeper Mannone is the busiest player on the pitch making good saves from Johnson and Gera.
45mins
Zamora picks up a booking for a late tackle on Clichy.
45mins
Vermaelen knocks the ball out for a Fulham corner from Hughes' cross into the Arsenal box.
43mins
Hangeland releases Zamora but the Fulham striker is offside again.
41mins
Zamora's diving header goes well wide of the target.
39mins
Arshavin brings it out for Arsenal but his ball to Clichy goes straight to Schwarzer.
36mins
Gera's cross-shot is touched out for a corner by Mannone. Good save by the Arsenal keeper.
34mins
Zamora races through on goal but he's offside.
33mins
Murphy tries his luck from 40 yards out but the ball drops well wide of the target.
31mins
Gallas does well to hack clear from Konchesky's low cross.
29mins
Van Persie hits his shot high over the Fulham goal.
28mins
Dangerous free kick to Arsenal on the edge of the Fulham box.
27mins
Murphy picks up the first booking of the afternoon.
27mins
Schwarzer does well to smother Bendtner's shot at the second attempt.
25mins
Johnson chases a long ball up field from Murphy but Clichy plays the ball back to Mannone.
23mins
Fabregas plays in Arshavin but the Russian blazes wide. Good pressure from Gera.
21mins
Bendtner plays a nice one-two with van Persie but the ball runs out of play.
19mins
Fabregas lashes the ball high over the Fulham goal.
18mins
Great chance for Fulham and a good save by Mannone. The Arsenal keeper palmed out Johnson's header then Demspey smashed the rebound against the post.
16mins
Gallas is back on for Arsenal.
15mins
Arshavin sends in a cross looking for Bendtner but Schwarzer is quickly out to claim it.
13mins
Gallas is receiving treatment from the Arsenal physio after accidently clashing with Mannone.
11mins
Schwarzer does well to collect the ball under pressure from Gallas. It was a decent cross into the box from Fabregas.
9mins
Fulham are forced into an early change as an injury to Duff sees him leave the field for Gera.
8mins
Both sides have started brightly with some slick passing.
6mins
Mannone races off his line to deny Johnson.
4mins
Mannone makes a comfortable save from Dempsey's low shot.
4mins
Konchesky does well to block Fabregas' dangerous through ball for Bendtner.
2mins
Sagna sends over a deep cross that Vermaelen heads well wide of the target.
0mins
Referee Martin Atkinson gets the game underway.
0mins
Arsenal: Mannone, Sagna, Gallas, Vermaelen, Clichy, Song Billong, Diaby, Bendtner, Fabregas, Arshavin, van Persie
0mins
Arsenal's Andrey Arshavin returns after three games out with injury but Manuel Almunia is still out with a chest infection so Vito Mannone continues in goal.
0mins
Fulham: Schwarzer, Pantsil, Hughes, Hangeland, Konchesky, Duff, Etuhu, Murphy, Dempsey, Zamora, Andrew Johnson
0mins
Andrew Johnson has recovered from a shoulder injury to take his place in the Fulham attack.
Match Preview
Fulham host Arsenal on Saturday in what could prove to be an explosive London derby at Craven Cottage.
Roy Hodgson's men have had an average start to this season and last weekend's loss at Wolverhampton Wanderers will not have impressed their shrewd manager.
They have won two games and lost three from their five league outings so far and sit in 15th place.
Last season Hodgson guided his team to an impressive UEFA Europa League spot and a similar finish this term would be another remarkable feat.
Livewire winger Damien Duff will look to supply the ammunition for frontmen Bobby Zamora and Andrew Johnson to shoot down the Gunners.
Danny Murphy and American star Clint Dempsey are likely to be instrumental in the middle, while reported Arsenal summer target Brede Hangeland will orchestrate the team from defence.
Australia goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer will be his usual imposing self and Arsenal will find it difficult to break his guard.
Former West Ham United left back Paul Konchesky (knee) will miss out as will Toni Kallio (Achilles).
Arsene Wenger will be confident of taking three points from the Cottage following the three successive wins his team have notched.
He will have been delighted to watch the new crop of starlets beat West Bromwich Albion in the Carling Cup third round on Tuesday evening, but he will recall his main men as they get back to the bread and butter of the Premier League.
Robin van Persie is starting to click into gear and Spain sensation Cesc Fabregas is also starting to run the show from the middle of the park.
Arsenal continue to struggle with injury problems as Denilson (back), Andriy Arshavin (groin), Theo Walcott (back), Johann Djourou (knee) and Samir Nasri (broken leg) all missing.
It is expected that Manuel Almunia will return to replace stand-in goalkeeper Vito Mannone following a virus.
Last season Fulham edge out the Gunners 1-0 at Craven Cottage with Hangeland prodding home from close range. Despite late Arsenal pressure without really threatening the Fulham goal, they held out for a impressive victory.
At the Emirates Stadium, the hosts couldn't force home a winner as they shared a goalless draw.
This stalemate was the Gunners' fourth goalless draw in consecutive Premier League games which significantly dented their title aspirations.
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Match Report
Robin van Persie hit the headlines for all the right reasons as he scored the only goal of the game to give Arsenal a somewhat fortuitous victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage.
The Dutchman admitted on Saturday morning that he sometimes exaggerates contact if he has been fouled, but produced a superb finish just after the break to give Arsene Wenger's side a win they barely deserved.
While van Persie produced the decisive moment of the contest, Wenger's side were indebted to stand-in goalkeeper Vito Mannone, who produced a series of fine saves to deny a spirited Fulham.
The Italian is only third-choice but time and again thwarted the hosts, who will slip into the bottom three if West Ham win at Manchester City on Monday night.
The 21-year-old was at his very best on 16 minutes when he produced a stunning double-save to deny first Andy Johnson, whose header was bound for the top corner, and then Clint Dempsey's follow-up.
Mannone actually saved the American's shot with his face, but Arsenal did not appear shaken from their stupor by this close escape and gave the ball all-too-regularly for Wenger's liking.
Mannone was again called upon to tip Zoltan Gera's effort round the post and after barely calling Fulham keeper Mark Schwarzer into action, the visitors would have been very relieved to have reached half-time with the game goalless.
And Arsenal made the most of that good fortune seven minutes after half-time when van Persie beautifully controlled Cesc Fabregas's through-ball and swept home.
Arsenal threatened on the break, with Nicklas Bendtner and Emmanuel Eboue both being denied by the ever-alert Schwarzer.
But eventually they were left to thank Mannone yet again as he saved from Bobby Zamora, Johnson and Dempsey as the visitors just about held on for all three points.
Fulham Team
Arsenal Team
Fulham | Arsenal |
Corners
| 4 | 6 |
Fouls
| 14 | 11 |
Goal attempts
| 17 | 14 |
Shots off target
| 6 | 10 |
Offsides
| 4 | 2 |
88mins
Bendtner heads high over the bar from Eboue's cross.