LONDON – Chelsea and Arsenal experienced contrasting late drama in the Premier League on Monday with an 89th-minute Frank Lampard goal giving Chelsea a 2-1 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers, while Bobby Zamora’s last-gasp strike handed Fulham a 2-1 win over Arsenal.
The late goals followed Sunderland’s last-kick winner over league leaders Manchester City on Sunday.
Arsenal had Johan Djourou sent off 12 minutes from time before Zamora’s goal in the third minute of stoppage time sent them crashing to defeat.
In Monday’s other matches all the away teams won with Swansea City earning a 2-0 victory at Aston Villa, Stoke City beating Blackburn Rovers 2-1 and Norwich City winning 2-1 at fellow promoted club Queens Park Rangers.
Arsenal slipped one place to fifth after Chelsea’s earlier win but seemed set to reclaim a top four spot having taken a 1-0 lead at Craven Cottage with the game moving towards its finale. Laurent Koscielny put Arsenal ahead with a 21st-minute header but Fulham, who lost 5-0 to Manchester United in their last home game, came back strongly in the second half.
They went close to equalising three times before Djourou was sent off for hauling back Zamora in the 78th minute, which helped tip the match even more in their favour. Steve Sidwell, who won the FA Youth Cup at Arsenal but never made the first team, finally headed Fulham level after 85 minutes before Zamora smashed in the winner with a slightly mis-hit left-foot volley with seconds remaining.
Fulham manager Martin Jol, who enjoyed his first Premier League victory over Arsene Wenger’s side in nine attempts, told Sky Sports: “It was amazing. It’s a big compliment to all the players.”
But Wenger claimed Djourou should not have been sent off and that Arsenal should have had a penalty in the first half when Gervinho was tripped in the box.
Meanwhile, Chelsea ended a four-match winless streak when Lampard struck late to secure victory at Wolves.
“It’s a massive win,” Lampard told the BBC. “Everyone knows we are having a tough time but the determination shone through and I think we deserved it.”
Manchester United visit seventh-placed Newcastle United and Everton engage Bolton in today’s only
