Arsenal maintained their position at the top of the Premier League with a narrow 1-0 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage.
Leandro Trossard’s second-half goal was enough to earn three points at Craven Cottage and keep Arsenal top of the Premier League table.
The Belgian converted from close range after Gabriel flicked on Bukayo Saka’s corner, to become our 10th different scorer in the Premier League this season.
It came after a first half which saw little goalmouth action, and proved to be the only goal of the game, as our eighth clean sheet of the season from 11 games in all competitions laid the platform for another win.
There was nothing to separate the sides in an uneventful opening ten minutes, but then Fulham had three chances within a few moments.
First Raul Jimenez broke forward out of nothing, and his low shot was deflected just wide for a corner. The resulting set piece fell to Tom Cairney on the edge of the area, but his piledriver was blocked by the midriff of Martin Zubimendi.
A minute later Raul stole the ball off Gabriel, fed Harry Wilson inside the area, but his shot across goal was dragged wide.
We had the ball in the net on the quarter-hour, only for it to be chalked off for offside. And what a shame the flag was raised, because Riccardo’s first-time rocket from Leandro Trossard’s flick on was a thing of beauty.
The game was starting to spark into life now, and Josh King saw his long-range effort headed behind for a corner at the other end, before Wilson dragged a shot wide of the near post when well placed.
Most of the action was unfolding in our own half, King’s looping cross-shot from wide on the right needed to be tipped over by a retreating David Raya.
However, we did start to build some momentum late on in the half. Calafiori had a goalbound effort deflected behind before he volleyed just over the bar, either side of Viktor Gyokeres stinging Bernd Leno’s palms when he ran on to a Bukayo Saka throughball. Declan Rice curled a shot wide with the last kick of an evenly matched first-half.
Trossard wasted a good chance at the start of the second period. He found space in the box when Eberechi Eze’s cross fell nicely to him, but he shot wide of the near post.
The Fulham defence then scrambled away the danger from just in front of their goal line after Saka’s jinking run caused confusion on the byline.
Wilson twice shot over at the other end to serve as a reminder of Fulham’s threat on the break.
Then the breakthrough came following a devilish inswinging corner from Saka. Gabriel rose highest to get the flick on, and Trossard did the rest from close range. It was the Belgian’s third goal of the season, and yet another from a corner for us – the 37th in the Premier League since the start of the 2023/24 season.
Then a moment of controversy.
Saka was brought down just inside the area by Fulham winger Kevin, and referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot. However, after a VAR review the referee was instructed to watch several replays, and he eventually judged that the Brazilian had got a toe-end to the ball before bringing down Saka.
The decision – and the delay – served to kill our momentum, and give Fulham a lift too. Gabriel and William Saliba were being tested with several testing balls into the box, as the hosts came at us again.
Gyokeres had a chance to double the lead in the final ten minutes. He showed great strength to shrug off his marker and fashion an opportunity, but blasted his shot over the bar.
Gyokeres then forced Leno into a smart save after a quick turn and shot, and Leno also kept out Gabriel Martinelli’s follow up.
But we had done enough, and after remaining winless in our last two visits to Craven Cottage, we returned home with three hard-earned points.
