Arsenal 2 Fulham 1:Alexander Hleb snatched a dramatic late winner as Arsenal came from behind to beat Fulham at the Emirates Stadium yesterday.

Fulham had taken a shock lead after just 52 seconds through David Healy following a terrible mistake by Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann.

However, a late penalty from Robin van Persie and Hleb's strike in the 90th minute finally broke the brave resistance of replacement goalkeeper Tony Warner, who had started after Antti Niemi injured himself during the warm-up.

Life without Thierry Henry may have got off to a winning start, but manager Arsene Wenger will know performances, particularly at the back, will have to improve significantly if his side are to again challenge for the Premier League title.

Fulham - much changed from the team which only just survived last season - had raced into the lead before many of the spectators had taken their seats.

Alexei Smertin played a ball forwards down the right, full-back Gael Clichy tapped it back to Lehmann - only for the German to make a complete hash of an attempted return pass, striking the ball against his left leg and gifting possession to Healy.

The Northern Ireland international - a £1.5 million summer signing from Leeds Utd - could not believe his luck and promptly slotted into a empty net for a first Premier League goal after only 52 seconds.

Hleb felt he had a strong claim for a penalty after cutting in from the left in the 10th minute and being felled by a sloppy challenge from Chris Baird.

Referee Phil Dowd, though, was unimpressed - but replays suggested the Arsenal man was right to be aggrieved.

Tomas Rosicky flashed a volley wide following Bacary Sagna's cross from the right as Arsenal stepped up the tempo.

Emmanuel Eboue and full-back Sagna - on his debut - were working well down the right.

Another quick interchange sent the Ivory Coast man away towards the touchline.

His cutback picked out Hleb on the penalty spot - but Zat Knight threw his boot in the way to deflect the goalbound effort wide.

In the 35th minute, Warner got down at full stretch to his right and touched a low drive from Rosicky around the post.

The Fulham bench were incensed when they felt Steven Davis had his heels caught by Cesc Fabregas as he got into the area, although contact looked minimal at best.

Dowd, though, was having none of it, and goalkeeping coach Dave Beasant remonstrated with fourth official Kevin Friend.

At the other end, Warner denied Arsenal again when he produced a brave save with his legs from Hleb's close-range effort, before pushing an angled drive from van Persie around the near post.

The referee then decided to go over to the Fulham bench to try to calm manager Lawrie Sanchez down.

In stoppage time, Warner came to the rescue again when he raced out of his area to take the ball off the feet of Fabregas.

Arsenal had chances at the start of the second half but Warner produced another top-drawer block with his legs to deny Rosicky, before diving at the feet of van Persie. Knight deflected Rosicky's goalbound 20-yard chip behind as Arsenal pressed for an equaliser.

As the match entered the final 25 minutes, Arsenal were awarded a free-kick when Davis upended van Persie on the edge of the area, and the Fulham player was cautioned. Van Persie struck his shot well enough, but just curled the ball past the right-hand post.

Knight kept out Kolo Toure's angled drive, before Dempsey clipped a low shot wide which would have sealed victory for Fulham at the other end. However, Arsenal were awarded a penalty when Bocanegra body-checked Toure as the defender weaved into the box - Van Persie smashing the ball into the roof of the net to level the scores.

There was then a brief melee as the Arsenal players tried to get the ball back to the centre-circle. Warner and Papa Bouba Diop, along with Arsenal's Mathieu Flamini, were cautioned.

Substitute Nicklas Bendtner had a late effort blocked by Warner, before the stand-in keeper was eventually beaten again by Hleb - who slotted in from 12 yards to snatch victory.

"This is the kind of result that can change a season for a team. It's a positive start," said a relieved Wenger.