Iwobi, Jimenez inspire Fulham to leave hapless Arsenal with sad end to 2023

Arsenal’s slump continued as they missed the chance to move top of the Premier League with a 2-1 defeat against Fulham.

After experiencing a recent dip with consecutive failures to win, Arsenal faced some pressure to conclude 2023 on a positive note. 

The team started strongly, with Bukayo Saka scoring within five minutes after Bernd Leno's save fell into his path.

 However, Fulham capitalized on Arsenal's defensive lapse, and Raúl Jiménez equalized with an excellent finish from Tom Cairney's cross. 

Fulham took the lead before the hour mark through Bobby De Cordova-Reid after chaos in the Arsenal box. Mikel Arteta's side couldn't immediately respond, and Saka missed a chance to level the scores. 

The Gunners were fortunate not to face a heavier defeat, with David Raya making crucial saves and the woodwork denying Fulham. 

Despite a contentious foul by Saliba and a close call with Pereira's strike hitting the crossbar, Arsenal couldn't mount a comeback, ending their four-match winning run in New Year's Eve fixtures and giving Fulham three crucial points in their quest to stay clear of the relegation zone.