Arsenal's perfect start to the 2023-24 Premier League season came to an end in dramatic circumstances as 10-man Fulham held the Gunners to a 2-2 draw at the Emirates Stadium.
Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah had ostensibly propelled the Gunners to a third successive win after Andreas Pereira's first-minute opener, but only a few minutes after losing Calvin Bassey to a second bookable offence, the visitors salvaged a slice of the spoils through Joao Palhinha.
Despite suffering a second defensive blow in the space of two weeks with Takehiro Tomiyasu's suspension, Mikel Arteta once again left Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Magalhaes in reserve, as Thomas Partey and Jakub Kiwior were given the nod out wide.
However, as was the case against Bournemouth a few months ago, Arsenal fell behind with less than a minute on the clock, as a horror backpass from Saka sent Pereira away, and with a backpedalling Aaron Ramsdale in no man's land, the ex-Manchester United man bent a 30-yard strike into the bottom corner.
In typical fashion, Arteta's men responded well to that early shock and had a gilt-edged chance to draw level through Kai Havertz with 12 minutes gone, but the German's effort on the stretch rolled harmlessly wide of Bernd Leno's goal.
Arsenal kept on coming, but Arteta's defence remained vulnerable and breathed a huge sigh of relief in the 22nd minute, as Raul Jimenez's overhead kick bounced in the area before sailing a whisker high of Ramsdale's crossbar.
Harry Wilson was the next to go close for Fulham, cutting inside and sending a venomous drive just wide of the post in the 26th minute, five minutes before Saka had the chance to make amends for his costly first-minute mistake but headed into the ground and over from Leandro Trossard's cross.
Arsenal huffed and puffed in the dying embers of the first half and had the ball in the back of the net in the 41st minute through Martin Odegaard, but with Havertz being in an offside position in the build-up, the strike was ruled out.
Arteta introduced Nketiah for Trossard at the break, but Arsenal remained suspect in their defensive third and conceded a good chance to Bobby Decordova-Reid in the 52nd minute, but the Fulham winger's strike sailed wide.
A couple of chances also came and went for Odegaard either side of the hour mark, but Fulham's dogged defensive work was soon undone by Kenny Tete, who scythed down Fabio Vieira in the area and gave away one of the clearest penalties Paul Tierney will ever award.
Following a brief delay, Saka went from zero to hero, sending former teammate Leno the wrong way to equalise for the hosts in the 70th minute, and the winger's fellow Hale End graduate Nketiah wanted a slice of the action in the 72nd minute.
Once again, Vieira was involved, sending an inch-perfect ball in from the left for Nketiah to tap home, although Fulham were incensed as Bassey was down injured right on the byline - playing Nketiah onside in the process.
Insult was then added to injury for Bassey, who was withdrawn in the 85th minute as he prevented Nketiah from breaking away, but Arsenal's frailties at the back came to the fore again.
With 89 minutes on the clock, substitute Adama Traore won a corner - which Harrison Reed whipped in - and the returning Palhinha sent a stunning half-volley past Ramsdale before Fulham survived 11 minutes of injury time.
The Gunners - who only had themselves to blame for Palhinha's late leveller - now prepare to host Manchester United next Sunday, while Fulham are in EFL Cup action against London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday. body check tags ::
