This was the Gunners' first defeat of the season and a worrying one which ended with captain William Gallas remonstrating with referee Martin Atkinson and an assistant referee.

But the visitors deserved all they got after a poor display in the opening 45 minutes.

Fulham led from the 21st minute, shortly after Robin van Persie missed a sitter when new boy Samir Nasri's mis-kick from Theo Walcott's cross left the Dutchman a gaping goal to aim at from eight yards.

Fulham went straight up the other end, forced a corner and centre-back Hangeland charged in on Jimmy Bullard's low flag kick while Gallas and Kolo Toure stood and stared. He slotted home without any fuss for his first goal for Fulham.

Although Emmanuel Adebayor's header from Bacary Sagna's cross hit the right post soon after Fulham's opener, it was an isolated incident of danger.

Fulham could have had at least two more goals before the break. Arsenal were caught out when Zoltan Gera slipped a fine ball through to Bobby Zamora in the inside left channel in the eighth minute, but he shot over the crossbar from a difficult angle when he should have waited for support to arrive.

Arsenal were then grateful to Gael Clichy for getting back to dispossess Zamora shortly afterwards when he came raiding again.

Arsenal's first shot finally came after 12 minutes when Adebayor fired a low drive off target from 20 yards.

A few sharp words from Arsene Wenger at the interval no doubt brought Arsenal's massive improvement in the second period, but although the pressure on Fulham grew by the minute, there were few chances created.