The Gunners’ title chase faces a setback as Saka’s late winner is ruled out for offside.
Mikel Arteta admitted he was “gutted” after Arsenal’s 1-1 draw against Fulham on Sunday but insisted his team cannot dwell on Bukayo Saka’s disallowed late goal. The stalemate at Craven Cottage leaves Arsenal six points adrift of Premier League leaders Liverpool, who hold a game in hand following the postponement of the Merseyside derby due to Storm Darragh.
Missed Opportunities and Fine Margins
Raul Jimenez put Fulham ahead just 10 minutes into the match, capitalizing on a rare chance. Arsenal equalized through William Saliba’s header from a corner, but despite dominating possession (67%) and registering 12 shots to Fulham’s two, they failed to find the decisive goal.
The Gunners thought they had secured a dramatic winner in the 87th minute when Saka found the net, only for VAR to rule Gabriel Martinelli offside in the buildup by the slimmest of margins.
“We absolutely deserved to win the match from beginning to end,” Arteta said in his post-match press conference. “For millimetres, we’re sitting with three points after a very strong and dominant performance against a good team. But this is the quality of the opposition – one chance, one goal.”
Arteta Urges Resilience
Arteta acknowledged the frustration of dropping points but emphasized the need for his players to move on and focus on the bigger picture.
“This is football,” he said. “The margins are so fine. We cannot cry about it. That’s the beauty and the reality of this league. You have to stand up, analyze what can be improved, and make sure the opposition has no chance to get something out of the game.”
Thomas Partey missed a crucial second-half header, one of several opportunities Arsenal failed to convert. Despite the setback, Arteta praised his team’s performance and challenged them to maintain their high standards.
“We really wanted to close the gap on Liverpool,” he added. “We had good momentum, and it was a crucial moment for us. We were so close to doing it, but unfortunately, we didn’t manage to achieve it.”
Champions League Test Looms
Arsenal will now turn their attention to the UEFA Champions League, where they face AS Monaco at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday. With the Premier League title race heating up, Arteta’s men will need to balance their domestic ambitions with their European campaign.
As Arsenal aims to bounce back, the manager’s message is clear: resilience and focus will be key to overcoming these fine margins and staying in contention at the top.
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