Fulham boss Scott Parker fuming at Arsenal’s ‘offside’ late equaliser

BY KAI BENNETT

Fulham manager Scott Parker is certain that Arsenal’s last-minute equaliser was offside and said that it was “clear as day”.

The Whites looked to be heading for all three points when Josh Maja scored a penalty with half an hour to go before Eddie Nketiah scored an equaliser in the seventh minute of stoppage time.

Fulham are six points off safety with five games to play.

Arsenal’s equaliser was controversial, Rob Holding looked to be in an offside position and Parker was disappointed about the decision.

Speaking to Fulham’s club website, he said: “Their goal looked offside, clear as day. Rob Holding’s in an offside position, he’s standing two yards in front of my keeper and three yards from the goaline and the consequence of him being in an offside position has an effect on the keeper.

“The keeper had to parry one instead of coming and collecting it. We have the best keeper in the division at managing and controlling his box.

“He was standing in an offside position, but Alphonse [Areola] doesn’t know that. He thinks the player’s going to tap one in, so he better put a hand on it. If Holding wasn’t there then what followed would have been very different. I’m disappointed with that.

“The last two weeks have been painful, they’ve ben real sucker blows. Last week against Wolves, they scored with the last kick of the game. Today the last kick of the game again.

“I’m gutted for the team, they show nothing but energy, they show a real passion and desire, like they have for the majority of the season.

“I’m absolutely devastated that they haven’t managed to get the three points and it’s been turned into one [point]. It was such a cruel decision really and an unfair one.

“It was always going to be a game where Arsenal would have their moments. They’ve got quality and they are on a good run. So of course we had to be resilient, we had to be strong and stay firm, which we did.

“We got our noses in front and the longer the game went on, it seemed as though we were in total control. The last bit [the goal] is gutting.

“[Defensively] we were solid today. We gave ourselves a platform. We looked a threat on the break. Ultimately we were very solid and we gave ourselves a good chance of winning the game.

“At this present time it feels like a defeat. But we’ve shown many times this year, we can win football matches in this league. Six points [off safety] now it is. We need to worry about ourselves and keep trying to win football matches in this league.

“We are still in with a fighting chance [of staying up] and we need to believe that. We need to keep going and try and get results.

“When they [Arsenal] scored their goal, we just needed to get out of here with a draw. This is a good point, this is a big point but It’s disappointing the way their goal has come.

“It’s tough right now, the last two performances [have been good] and the way I address them is difficult. Today’s even more difficult because I don’t feel it was right the way their goal happened.

“As always, we will be gutted tonight. But we will wake up tomorrow morning and put the gloves back on and start swinging again. That’s the way you have to be and that’s the way we have been. We will go again.”