Martin Odegaard came to the rescue as Arsenal battled to a 1-0 win over Hull in north London, moving the Gunners six points clear at the top of the Premier League table for the time being.
It was a hard-fought occasion for Arsenal, who found Hull a tough nut to crack and were kept at bay for more than 70 minutes. Odegaard followed in after Noni Madueke's shot was saved, and that proved enough for the victory.
Player Ratings at the Emirates
David Raya was rated 6, not entirely convincing with one or two crosses that were put on top of him and pushed one shot straight into a dangerous area. He faced two shots on target, a busy afternoon by his standards.
Jurrien Timber earned a 7, doing a decent Riccardo Calafiori impression by popping up all over the pitch. He showed great energy and should have had an assist with a perfect cross for Tzolis, though his relationship with Noni Madueke still needs work. Ezri Konsa was rock solid once again with a 7, making a crucial block to deflect Mohamed Cho's shot wide and recording seven clearances.
Midfield and Attack
Gabriel was rated 6, not quite at his imperious best after being shrugged off the ball on halfway, while Riccardo Calafiori also got a 6 following one really loose moment on the ball. Declan Rice received a 6, lacking some of his usual energy and showing little sign of his trademark driving runs before being withdrawn after an hour.
Bruno Guimaraes earned a 7 in one of his better starts in an Arsenal shirt, keeping the ball between the lines with positive decision-making and lovely combinations with Odegaard. Noni Madueke was a constant threat down the right in the first half with a 7, though he should have put the match to bed but fluffed his lines trying to round the keeper.
Match-Winning Performance
Martin Odegaard led from the front with an 8, converting the rebound for a timely winner. He also slid in Tzolis to win a dangerous free-kick and slipped Havertz in behind before the goal. Christos Tzolis was rated 5 after a big step back from his sharp display at Anfield, wasting two dangerous counters.
Kai Havertz received a 4 for a terrible lack of ruthless intent, trying to cut back onto his left foot when clean through and being offside three times before half-time.
Substitutes Make an Impact
Mikel Merino came on for Rice in the 62nd minute and was rated 6, playing one gorgeous flick through to Madueke late on. Viktor Gyokeres replaced Havertz in the same minute and earned a 7, offering much more than the man he replaced by holding the ball up and providing an outlet down the channels, giving Arteta a selection headache.
Eberechi Eze came on for Tzolis in the 69th minute and was rated 6, having openings on the edge of the box he could have made more of. Piero Hincapie replaced Calafiori in the 69th minute and earned a 7 for a huge defensive effort in the final 20 minutes, giving Hull nothing down that side. Martin Zubimendi came on for Guimaraes in the 88th minute and was not rated.
