Arsenal returned to the top of the Premier League table with a gritty 1-0 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage their fifth straight victory in all competitions as Mikel Arteta’s men showed the kind of resilience needed in a title fight.
SoftFootball understands that the Gunners, coming off a confident 2-0 win over West Ham before the international break, knew nothing short of a win would take them back above Manchester City. Fulham, though, made life difficult early on, snapping into tackles and creating chances through Tom Cairney and Harry Wilson to test Arsenal’s focus.
Arsenal thought they had struck first when Riccardo Calafiori rifled home a powerful effort, but it was chalked off for offside. The setback didn’t dampen their energy, though Fulham continued to look dangerous, with Josh King forcing David Raya into a sharp save and Wilson firing narrowly wide. At the other end, Viktor Gyökeres and Bukayo Saka tried to make something happen, but Bernd Leno, facing his former club, stood firm.
It wasn’t until the second half that Arsenal found the breakthrough and once again, it came from a set piece. Bukayo Saka’s pinpoint corner was flicked on by Gabriel Magalhães, allowing Leandro Trossard to pounce at the back post and steer home the winner. The goal made Trossard the 10th different Arsenal player to score in the Premier League this season, highlighting just how many attacking weapons Arteta has at his disposal.
There was a brief moment of tension when referee Anthony Taylor awarded Arsenal a penalty after a challenge on Saka, but VAR intervened and overturned the call. That didn’t faze the 24-year-old winger, who has continued to embrace his leadership role in this team, recently admitting that he’s “grown into the responsibility” of guiding Arsenal through tight games like this.
In the closing stages, Arsenal showed composure and control, managing the game to perfection to seal a result that keeps their title momentum alive. The victory also extends their incredible away run, just one defeat in their last 18 Premier League away matches, a stat that shows their growing confidence.
After the game, Arsenal took to its official X handle to share and exclusive video of their players thanking the fans for their strong support that saw them through the game. They posted;
For Fulham, it was a night of frustration and missed chances, as Marco Silva’s men suffered their third straight defeat to slip to 14th in the table. But for Arsenal, this was another step in a promising campaign, a team that’s learned how to grind out wins when it matters most.
Arsenal are flying high again, top of the table, confident, and starting to look every bit like a side ready to go the distance.
