Arsenal left it late against Hull City, but snatched a 2-2 draw in stoppage time at the Emirates on Saturday.
The Gunners went 1-0 up early through Alexis Sanchez but Hull hit back with a controversial equalizer from Mohamed Diame, then Abel Hernandez put them ahead. Arsenal huffed and puffed but looked like they were heading to defeat until Danny Welbeck popped up in stoppage time to make it 2-2.
[RELATED: Watch full match replay]
A relieved Arsene Wenger pushed his side on for a winner, but that didn’t arrive as Arsenal’s makeshift backline survived. Just.
Following their fifth draw of the season Arsenal are in sixth place on 11 points, while Hull are in ninth on 10 points after a third 2-2 draw in their last five games.
[RELATED: Latest Premier League standings]
Arsenal went ahead through a stunning strike from Sanchez as the Chilean sped past Curtis Davies and hit a low strike across Steve Harper and into the net to put the Gunners 1-0 up.
However, Hull were soon level as Diame bagged his fourth goal in five games for the Tigers but it arrived in controversial fashion. The bulking midfielder looked to have hauled down Mathieu Flamini in the box but referee Roger East waved played on and Diame dinked the ball calmly over Wojiech Szczesny to make it 1-1.
Steve Harper then made some stunning saves to keep it at 1-1 as Hull held on until the break but lost their goalkeeper to an arm injury. After the interval the visitors were ahead within 60 seconds of the restart as Hernandez headed home. The Uruguayan forward was called into the starting lineup after Nikica Jelavic dropped out and sent a perfect header into the far corner after Arsenal’s defense were fast asleep.
1 - Arsenal have kept just one clean sheet in eight Premier League games this season. Loose.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 18, 2014
In the second half Arsenal tried to turn the screw but were hampered when Jack Wilshere tried to take down Gaston Ramirez and injured his knee. Joel Campbell replaced Wilshere as the Gunners went for broke late on.
[VIDEO: Premier League highlights, here]
That paid off, just about, as the equalizer arrived in the 91st minute after good work from Sanchez teed up Welbeck who sidefooted home from six-yards out to make it 2-2.
LINEUPS
Arsenal: Szczesny, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Monreal, Gibbs, Flamini (Ramsey, 63'), Wilshere (Campbell, 69'), Oxlade-Chamberlain, Cazorla, Sanchez, Welbeck
Goals: Sanchez (13), Welbeck (90)
Hull: Harper (Jakupovic, 43), Chester, Davies, Dawson (Bruce, 84'); Elmohamady, Huddlestone, Livermore, Diame, Robertson; Ben Arfa; Hernandez (Ramirez, 63')
Goals: (Diame 17), Hernandez (46)