Two goals from Samir Nasri sank Fulham to send Arsenal to the top of the table in a fiercely-contested London derby.
With Chelsea being held to a draw by Everton, Nasri’s winner in the 75th minute was enough for Arsene Wenger’s side to move above Manchester United.
For the opening half-hour it looked like Arsenal were going to run riot.
Matthew Briggs, Fulham’s teenage left-back, was having a particularly torrid time with the in-form Nasri running past him at will.
The France international should have put Arsenal ahead in the 13th minute when Andrey Arshavin’s through ball put him in on goal, but with only Mark Schwarzer to beat, Nasri poked the ball wide of the far post.
He made amends a minute later, however, when he scored a delightful goal to give Arsenal the lead.
Arshavin, who had earlier had a close-range volley well saved by Schwarzer, found Nasri with a diagonal pass.
The Frenchman wriggled between Briggs and Brede Hangeland and then drew a sliding challenge from Aaron Hughes before thumping the ball past Schwarzer from 10 yards.
It was 1-0 to Arsenal and that should have been the spark to start a rout.
But they spurned some golden chances.
Arshavin pounced on Danny Murphy’s poor back pass but Schwarzer got down well to save the Russian’s shot.
The Australian goalkeeper denied Arhsavin again, from closer range, after Nasri embarrassed Briggs and crossed from the right.
Next it was Tomas Rosicky beating the rookie full-back to cross, only for Alex Song to volley wide, and then Marouane Chamakh was denied by a sliding challenge from Hangeland after the defender had given the ball away.
Fulham had offered little in reply at this stage, and Mark Hughes decided to make a change, replacing the tormented Briggs with Chris Baird on the half-hour. Within a minute they were level.
Clint Dempsey felt aggrieved not to win a free-kick after being dumped to the ground, but got up to get involved again.
He was given the chance when Sebastien Squillaci and Laurent Koscielny collided as they contested a high ball with Diomansy Kamara.
Dempsey collected the loose ball, eluded two challenges and slipped it through to Kamara, who finished with coolness.
Kamara could have scored again moments before half-time, after Koscielny had departed on a stretcher, when the Fulham striker had a clear run on goal but Lucasz Fabianski saved with his legs.
Chamakh was also denied as Schwarzer held his header from close range.
Arsenal continued to miss chances after half-time, with Rosicky, Arshavin and Song all guilty, before Nasri made it 2-1 in the 75th minute.
The Frenchman exchanged passes with Robin van Persie, who had just replaced Rosicky, before jinking past three players, including Schwarzer.
Going round the goalkeeper took him wide of goal, but Nasri had the composure to turn and curl the ball into the net.
Fulham almost equalised when Zoltan Gera’s long shot was just kept out by Fabianski in the closing minutes, but Arsenal held on for three important points.
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