Arsenal secured three vital points at Craven Cottage with Leandro Trossard’s second-half goal proving decisive in a 1-0 victory that keeps the Gunners three points clear at the summit. The Belgian’s close-range finish maintains Arsenal’s winning streak despite an unconvincing performance in west London.
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The Standout Performers:
Bukayo Saka – 8/10 Tormented Ryan Sessegnon throughout, with every Arsenal threat originating from his wing. Delivered the corner that led to the winning goal and looked Arsenal’s only genuine source of creativity. Thought he’d won a penalty when clipped inside the box, only for VAR to rescue Fulham with an overturn.
Leandro Trossard – 7/10 Struggled badly before the break, miscontrolling passes and slowing Arsenal’s tempo. Arteta seemingly resisted the temptation to hook him at halftime, and the faith was rewarded when Trossard reacted quickest to Gabriel’s flick-on to score from yards out. These moments of clutch finishing are why he keeps starting.
Arsenal Fulham 3 Things We Learned
Arsenal celebrate their goal against Fulham at Craven Cottage (via Independent)
Jurrien Timber – 7/10 Formed an excellent axis with Saka on the right, providing overlaps and underlaps that stretched Fulham‘s defence. Never looked troubled when defending one-on-one and his tactical discipline allowed Saka complete freedom.
Riccardo Calafiori – 7/10 Arsenal’s most adventurous defender, constantly bursting forward into advanced areas. Thought he’d scored a stunning opener with a curling effort into the top corner, only for the flag to deny him. His willingness to gamble offensively gives Arsenal an extra dimension.
Other Notable Performances:
David Raya – 6/10 Barely tested throughout as Fulham failed to register a single shot on target. Made routine saves when called upon but spent most of the afternoon watching Arsenal attack.
William Saliba – 6/10 Handled everything Fulham threw at him with typical assurance. Another clean sheet adds to his growing reputation as Arsenal’s most reliable defender.
Gabriel Magalhaes – 6/10 Started slowly and looked uncomfortable under Fulham’s early pressure. Found his rhythm as the match progressed and his attacking header created the winner, proving his value beyond just defending.
Martin Zubimendi – 6/10 Shielded the defence effectively, mopping up loose balls and launching Arsenal attacks with simple distribution. Did the unglamorous work that allowed Rice to push higher.
Declan Rice – 6/10 Sprayed passes across the pitch but couldn’t unlock Fulham’s compact defensive structure. Fulham’s press disrupted his usual rhythm, forcing him into safer options than usual.
Eberechi Eze – 5/10 Struggled to fill Odegaard’s creative void. Showed nice touches but lacked the incisiveness needed to break down a stubborn Fulham side sitting deep. Arsenal’s attack looks significantly blunted without their captain.
Viktor Gyokeres – 5/10 Got into promising positions but continues misfiring in front of goal. Skied a golden chance from six yards with 10 minutes left, then forced Leno into action with a decent effort after turning his marker. Seven games without scoring for a striker signed to lead the line is concerning.
Substitutes:
Mikel Merino – 6/10 Entered for the final 20 minutes to add fresh legs in midfield. Helped Arsenal control possession as they protected their slender advantage.
Gabriel Martinelli – 6/10 Introduced late to inject pace on the counter. Attempted an overhead kick that sailed harmlessly over as Arsenal searched for a second goal to kill the game.
Christian Norgaard – N/A Made his Arsenal bow with a brief stoppage-time appearance. Insufficient time to judge his contribution.
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