Leandro Trossard’s second-half goal was enough for shorthanded Arsenal to go back atop the Premier League table via a 1-0 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday.
MORE — Mikel Arteta reacts to win, performance at Fulham
Trossard was set at the back post to knock Gabriel Magalhaes’ header of a corner over the line, and Arsenal’s fantastic defensive record continues to glisten under the lights.
WATCH — Fulham v Arsenal full match replay
Arsenal have conceded just three Premier League goals through eight matches, as David Raya’s going to be eyeballing space on his mantle for a Golden Glove at this pace.
Fulham battled but remain shy in the opposition box, and Marco Silva may lament not starting a more dangerous group of forwards as Emile Smith Rowe and Kevin were bright upon their entry late in the affair.
The Cottagers’ eight points are three above the bottom three, while Arsenal’s 19 are three clear of Man City and will finish the weekend as the Premier League’s best regardless of how Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur perform on Sunday.
Arsenal lean on defensive strength while waiting for health, Gyokeres
Win and advance onto the next game. That’s all Arsenal can do right now with Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, and Noni Madueke leading the line of injured forwards waiting to heal up and return to the pitch. Mikel Arteta praised the goal-sharing in his team, but surely he’d be happy if Viktor Gyokeres found his finishing touch. The big Swede has gone nine-straight games without a goal, all but two of the shifts lasting the full 90 minutes... and today’s run was 89 minutes. He’s getting off shots and creating chances but not scoring goals and that will need to change soon. Yet for now the Gunners are winning games — almost all of them — despite all of the above. The good news is very good, however. Arsenal’s back line has been tremendous and midfield duo Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi just as strong. Arsenal hardly ever let balls into the six-yard box thanks to terrific play out wide from Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber. The blowout wins aren’t arriving but the one-goal wins are fairly convincing and the two-goal wins almost a standard. They may never have a better chance to win the league as this season. Can they find their scoring touch and make it big easier for their supporters (and manager)?
What’s next?
Arsenal get a big test from Atletico Madrid at the Emirates in UEFA Champions League play on Tuesday before Crystal Palace pays a Premier League visit on Sunday, October 26.
Fulham wait for Saturday and a trip to Newcastle United at 10am ET.
How to watch Fulham vs Arsenal live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 12:30pm ET Saturday
Venue: Craven Cottage — West London
TV Channel: NBC
Streaming: Live online via NBC.com
Fulham vs Arsenal final score: 0-1
Leandro Trossard 58'
Nine minutes stoppage time
Adding a 10th of the action back into the mix!
More subs
Adama Traore and Calvin Bassey enter for Harry Wilson and Jorge Cuenca.
Minutes earlier, Gabriel Martinelli was an Arsenal sub for the goal scorer Trossard.
Penalty overturned
VAR has sent Taylor to the pitch side monitor.
The tackle is certainly inside of the 18, but Kevin gets the ball before Saka and the ball travels away from Saka’s path.
Even Arsenal fans will acknowledge they want their defenders to be able to make that challenge.
Arsenal penalty!
Kevin gets a small piece of the ball and a lot of Bukayo Saka as the winger drives toward the top of the box through the right corner.
Anthony Taylor points to the spot!
This shouldn’t be a penalty, we think.
Changes for both
Arsenal bring Mikel Merino into the game for Eberechi Eze.
Fulham welcome Emile Smith Rowe and Kevin into the game for Josh King and Tom Cairney.
Just under a half-hour to play at Craven Cottage.
Leandro Trossard goal — Fulham 0-1 Arsenal
You’re not going to believe that Arsenal have scored off a corner kick.
Gabriel Magalhaes surges to the front post, rising to turn a header further on, where Leandro Trossard is waiting to snap it home at the back post.
Harry Wilson lively
It’s easy to see why Liverpool viewed Harry Wilson as such an intriguing prospect, as he’s so good at finding space and creating chances.
Unfortunately, as is the case on at least three occasions today, finishing those chances so often eludes him.
Arsenal chances go for nothing
Leandro Trossard is alone at the back and cannot fire on frame from a slightly-difficult angle.
Then Bukayo Saka skips past a defender but cannot muscle a pass to a receiver, leading to a pair of corners.
Timothy Castagne pushes the first out, and the Cottagers deal with the ensuing set piece despite Arsenal’s prowess.
Halftime — Fulham 0-0 Arsenal
The Gunners have been quite frustrated by the hosts and need to find answers or some individual brilliance.
The bench is not ripe with elite proven attacking talent, but Gabriel Martinelli, Mikel Merino, Ethan Nwaneri, and Max Dowman would all welcome the chance to be gamebreakers with Martin Odegaard, Noni Madueke, and Kai Havertz out of action.
Fulham can turn to Emile Smith Rowe, Kevin, and Adama Traore, and Silva will be eyeballing more than a single point.
Joachim Andersen injury
Fulham are forced into a change as influential center back Joachim Andersen is injured and cannot continue into halftime.
Issa Diop enters the match in the 43rd minute.
Better from Arsenal
Slow to find the attacking places, Arsenal have now joined Fulham with a half-dozen shot attempts.
Arsenal are edging xG and controlling possession but Fulham standing firm at the back.
Cottagers show promise
The game is spending quite a bit of time on Arsenal’s left/Fulham’s right as Marco Silva has chosen to target Riccardo Calafiori’s side perhaps in order to challenge his strength.
Harry Wilson and Raul Jimenez have both dragged shots wide of the far post from the left, and Calafiori himself had a goal ruled out at the other end when he started his run to meet Leandro Trossard’s pass a bit too early for the assistant referee’s flag.
0-0, 17'.
Fulham lineup
Leno, Castagne, Andersen, Cuenca, Sessegnon, Berge, Cairney, Wilson, King, Iwobi, Jimenez
Arsenal lineup
Raya, Timber, Saliba, Magalhaes, Calafiori, Rice, Zubimendi, Eze, Saka, Trossard, Gyokerers
Fulham team news, focus
OUT: Sasa Lukic (unspecified), Rodrigo Muniz (knock), Kenny Tete (unspecified) | QUESTIONABLE: Antonee Robinson (knee), Raul Jimenez (hip), Samu Chukwueze (unspecified)
Arsenal team news, focus
OUT: Martin Odegaard (knee - MORE), Noni Madueke (knee), Kai Havertz (knee - MORE), Gabriel Jesus (knee) | QUESTIONABLE: Piero Hincapie (groin)
Fulham vs Arsenal preview
The Cottagers have dropped back-to-back 3-1 away games in the Premier League but will hope they’ll unbeaten home form early this season continues despite the table-topping status of the table leaders.
Arsenal will be happy for the international break in terms of giving injured players the chance to find health — Piero Hincapie could make his PL debut this weekend — but not for many other reasons.
The Gunners are unbeaten in four matches since their 1-0 loss at Liverpool, and back-to-back wins at Newcastle and home to West Ham United were impressive for several reasons — the hostile environs of St. James’ Park and the total control of the Irons chief among them.
Fulham vs Arsenal prediction
The Cottagers and their ex-Arsenal army — Bernd Leno, Alex Iwobi, Emile Smith Rowe — will be plenty up for this test, and Marco Silva will surely have his men at their ornery-best for the visitors. Declan Rice played for England over the international break, and Arsenal should have enough to overcome the lengthened absence of Martin Odegaard (at least in this game). Fulham 0-2 Arsenal
