Arsenal maintained their position at the top of the Premier League table with a 1-0 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage, a result built on their growing reputation for defensive solidity and set-piece efficiency. Leandro Trossard's opportunistic goal just before the hour mark, from a corner routine, proved enough to secure all three points for Mikel Arteta's side.
The performance was far from vintage, with Arsenal struggling to create clear chances in open play. Victor Gyökeres, returning from a difficult international break with Sweden, extended his goalless streak to nine games for club and country. However, Arteta praised the striker's work rate, noting his contribution to the team's collective effort. 'We were all begging for him to score,' Arteta said. 'The work rate he puts in for the team is phenomenal.'
Defensively, Arsenal were impeccable. Fulham, despite a bright start, failed to register a single shot on target, with David Raya enjoying his second consecutive match without a save to make. The back four of Riccardo Calafiori, Jurriën Timber, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães have now contributed to five clean sheets in eight league games, with only three goals conceded all season.
The match highlighted Arsenal's ability to grind out results—a quality Arteta believes is essential for title contenders. 'The recent history wasn't in our favour and we wanted to change that,' he said, referring to previous dropped points at Fulham. 'That's another step – having that mindset to win against difficult opposition.'
The victory moved Arsenal three points clear of Manchester City and four ahead of Liverpool, who host Manchester United on Sunday. However, concerns remain over the absence of captain Martin Ødegaard, sidelined for six weeks with a knee injury. His creativity was missed in a match where Arsenal often lacked incision against a well-organised Fulham defence.
