Arsenal were made to work for it, but Leandro Trossard’s second-half strike was enough to secure a hard-fought 1-0 win at Fulham, keeping Mikel Arteta’s side top of the Premier League.
There was nothing easy about it, but Arsenal found a way. On a sluggish evening at Craven Cottage, Mikel Arteta’s side did just enough to secure a 1-0 win over Fulham, maintaining their place at the top of the Premier League despite a performance that bore all the signs of a squad feeling the effects of the second international break.
Leandro Trossard’s finish from a Bukayo Saka corner settled a game that rarely came to life. Arsenal were laboured, short on sharpness and rhythm, but ruthless when it mattered. The Belgian’s goal, kneed in at close range, made him the 10th different player to score for Arsenal in the league this season. By comparison, Erling Haaland has scored 11 of Manchester City’s 17.
The Gunners thought they had taken the lead in the first half when Riccardo Calafiori crashed home a superb strike, only for the offside flag to halt celebrations. The disallowed goal proved emblematic of an afternoon where Arsenal’s patience was tested as much as their ability to break down a low block.
With Martin Ødegaard sidelined by a knee injury, Martin Zubimendi stepped into midfield alongside Declan Rice and Eberechi Eze, but the absence of their captain’s invention was obvious. Arsenal controlled possession yet with Eze quieter than usual, Ødegaard’s ability to unpick a low block was missed.
There was more frustration when Anthony Taylor awarded Arsenal a penalty, only to overturn it on VAR review. Taylor was persuaded by Stuart Attwell that the defender’s faint touch on the ball meant no foul had been committed on Bukayo Saka. It is an odd interpretation that has taken hold in the game, given that no such rule exists. No doubt Howard Webb will defend it again on Sky Sports’ on Monday while Gary Neville nods along.
Taylor then added nine minutes of stoppage time, largely due to reviewing his “clear and obvious” error.
Former Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno produced a pair of sharp saves to deny Viktor Gyökeres, keeping Fulham in the contest. But Arsenal’s defence was as unyielding as ever. The hosts failed to register a single shot on target, the second successive match in which Arsenal have restricted their opponents to none.
It was not a statement performance, but it was a statement result in a game Arsenal dropped points in last season.
Arsenal have conceded just three goals in eight league matches, three fewer than any other team, and only Manchester City and Chelsea have scored more.
For all the talk of Arsenal lacking cutting edge, the evidence points to a side that knows how to win when not at their best.
When the attack truly clicks, the rest of the league should be worried.