Martin Odegaard scored a 72nd-minute winner as Arsenal ground out a 1-0 victory over a resilient Hull City side at the Emirates Stadium, extending their lead at the top of the Premier League.
The Gunners, heavily fancied to further their advantage at the summit, stumbled out of the blocks and endured several hairy moments at the back early on. David Raya lost flight of the ball in the air from a corner and had to be alert to keep the buoyant visitors at bay, later thwarting Elliot Stroud from inside the box with a fine stop.
First Half Frustration
Arsenal belatedly came to life late in the half, but the expected breakthrough failed to arrive before the interval. The most notable moment of a drab first period came when VAR checked a potential penalty after Kai Havertz had his shirt pulled by Nobel Mendy in the box.
Referee Farai Hallam was sent to the pitchside monitor and subsequently informed the crowd there was a holding offence, before revealing Havertz was in an offside position, bursting the home fans' bubble.
Odegaard Delivers
Hull kept Raya and Arsenal's diligent defence honest, particularly in the early stages, but the champions found a way to win. With Bukayo Saka missing, their rejuvenated captain delivered when needed most.
Odegaard was alive to react after Konstantinos Tzolakis repelled a Noni Madueke effort, thumping the loose ball into the net to tame the Tigers. This was his third Premier League goal of the season, having mustered just one in the entirety of the 2025-26 campaign.
