Mikel Arteta saw an injury-time penalty saved as Arsenal's hopes of a top-four finish in the EPL faded a further on Saturday after an 3-3 draw at home to Fulham.
The result left Arsene Wenger’s side four points below the Champions League places in seventh position, with four of the teams above them still to play.
Despite a strong start from Fulham at the Emirates Stadium, the hosts found themselves 2-0 up inside 23 minutes thanks to a near-post header from Olivier Giroud and a predatory finish from Lukas Podolski.
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Fulham’s Dimitar Berbatov (right) gets past Arsenal’s Santi Cazorla on Saturday. Pic/AFP
Fulham hit back through Dimitar Berbatov, who headed home unmarked from a corner, before substitute Alexander Kacaniklic drew the visitors level with a downward header five minutes before half-time. Berbatov then gave Fulham the lead from the penalty spot (67th min), after Arteta tripped Bryan Ruiz, but Giroud restored parity two minutes later with a header.
Arteta could have given Arsenal victory in the fourth minute of stoppage time after Sascha Riether was penalised for handling Andrey Arshavin’s cross, but his low spot-kick was brilliantly saved by Mark Schwarzer. Meanwhile, Arsenal winger Theo Walcott could be ruled out of England’s friendly against Sweden on Wednesday after suffering a buttock muscle injury in the first half here.
Other EPL results
Everton 2-1 Sunderland
Reading 0-0 Norwich
Southampton 1-1 Swansea
Stoke 1-0 QPR
Wigan 1-2 West Bromu00a0
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