Fulham 2-1 Arsenal: Player Ratings.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta admitted his side's 2-1 defeat at Fulham on New Year's Eve was 'painful'.

Despite Bukayo Saka scoring inside five minutes, Raul Jimenez equalised on his return from suspension for the Cottagers, before Bobby Decordova-Reid fired home the winner for Marco Silva's side on the hour.

The loss left Arsenal fourth and two points behind leaders Liverpool, who host Newcastle on New Year's Day.

"Today was our worst game of the season," Arteta said after the match. 

"The pace, the purpose we have in attack, defensively we were second best, we could not dominate and had issues because of that. We were sloppy with the ball. It wasn't good enough, we didn't deserve to win.

"If we play like we played in the other 19 games we will be up there [in the league at the end of the season]. If we play like today we will be nowhere near - it was a really difficult day to swallow," adding "it was painful."

Read on for our Gooner Fanzine Player Ratings on a disappointing day at the Cottage for the Gunners 

GK: David Raya - 5/10 - Good distribution led to Saka's goal but does simply not add confidence to the backline as a goalkeeper 

RB: Ben White - 4.5/10 - Benny Blanco substituted shortly after the interval following a poor performance that offered little defensive cover down the flanks, nor any semblance of attacking benefit

CB: William Saliba - 5.5/10 - Raul Jimenez's direct approach unsettled the normally calm and composed centre-back at the Cottage 

CB: Gabriel Magalhaes - 6/10 - Did not convince defensively in the rain 

LB: Jakub Kiwior - 3/10 - Poor. Very poor. No wonder he was hooked by Arteta at the break as he failed to stop Fulham attacking down the flank he was meant to be patrolling. Where does he go from here? Clearly not good enough at this level

CM: Martin Odegaard - 4.5/10 - Another underwhelming performance which is worrying 

CM: Declan Rice - 6.5/10 - Arsenal's best player. Again. Looked as frustrated as the travelling fans at the Cottage felt. A captain in waiting for the Gunners 

CM: Kai Havertz - 5/10 - Disappointingly ineffective 

RW: Bukayo Saka - 5.5/10 - Grabbed the Gunners early goal but as a winger the 22-year-old has  struggled to beat his man this season, and today against Fulham was no execption. 

ST: Eddie Nketiah - 3/10 - Looked bereft of confidence as eveidenced by only 23 touches all game. A reacl shame to say this about an Arsenal Academy graduate but Eddie is simply not good enough at this level despite the number of opportunities to shine that he has failed to take 

LW: Gabriel Martinelli - 5/10 - Lively without penetration 

Substitutes

SUB: Takehiro Tomiyasu (46' for Kiwior) - 5.5/10 - 

SUB: Leandro Trossard (67' for Martinelli) - 4/10

SUB: Gabriel Jesus (67' for White) - 4/10

SUB: Reiss Nelson (77' for Havertz) - 4/10

Subs not used:

Emile Smith Rowe - Why doesn't Arteta trust ESR anymore?

Jorginho,

Mohamed Elneny,

Cedric Soares,

Aaron Ramsdale.