In the aftermath of a gripping 2-2 draw with Fulham, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has commended his team for their tenacity.

While the result wasn’t what fans hoped for, the manager drew attention to the spirited performance from his side, particularly emphasising the contributions of three players who entered the match as substitutes.

• Mikel Arteta appreciates the team’s spirit in the 2-2 draw against ten-man Fulham.
• The late goal by Joao Palhinha denied Arsenal a victory, despite a dominant performance.
• Substitutes Fabio Vieira and Eddie Nketiah received special praise for their impactful performances.

It was a Saturday encounter that could have propelled Arsenal to the pinnacle of the Premier League standings, but a 2-2 draw against a ten-man Fulham at the Emirates Stadium left fans somewhat disenchanted.

Mikel Arteta expressed his contentment over the team’s reaction after initially trailing in the game. The Gunners’ early defensive lapse saw them concede, thanks in part to an error from Bukayo Saka.

The Arsenal boss told BBC Match of the Day, “Right from the beginning, we gave an incredible goal away. You make life really difficult for yourself. But the team reacted really well.

“We dominated the game and created countless chances and should have scored five, six, seven goals easily.”

The dismissal of Fulham’s Calvin Bassey appeared to tilt the scales in Arsenal’s favour, yet Joao Palhinha managed to level the score late in the game, resulting in a share of the spoils.

Regarding the last-minute setback, Arteta bemoaned his team’s defensive frailties. “And when you have done the most difficult thing which is to get back ahead against a team that is well organised, you have to defend your box from one corner,” he added. “It is the only chance they have and you get punished.

“Yet still you get another two chances and don’t score – that is the story of the game. The amount of things we did to merit to win the game comfortably, we end up with one point.”

Three substitutes significantly influenced the game’s texture, according to Arteta. “All three substitutes changed the game,” he said. “Fabio [Vieira] was involved in everything we created and I am really happy with that.

“To see players with the ability to make and take chances with quality. The same with Eddie [Nketiah]. It is my fault that Fabio has not played more and today he gave me reasons to play him more.

“We have to show another level of commitment and desire and ‘over my dead body’. With 10 men, you cannot concede a goal.”

In a year where Arsenal have already conceded three goals within the first minute of a game—a first in Premier League history—Arteta remains optimistic.

“It’s incredible that we haven’t won the three points, but I think we have to look at ourselves and that’s a positive because today I think we gave two very cheap goals away and in the boxes we should have done much more with everything that we generated,” he told reporters at his post-match press conference.