Premier League champions Arsenal extended their lead at the top of the table to six points with a professional home win over plucky Hull City.
The Gunners didn’t have it all their own way against the newly-promoted side, but did just enough to seal the three points. Captain Martin Odegaard scored the only goal of the game 18 minutes from time.
Arsenal started brightly and defender Gabriel was inches away from getting purchase on an inswinging cross just a few yards out from goal in the first half whilst Elliot Stroud drew a good save from David Raya in a rare Hull attack down the other end.
The Gunners had a penalty shout just before half-time after Kai Havertz had his shirt pulled by a Hull defender. After a VAR check there was to be no penalty awarded, despite the clear foul, as Havertz was in an offside position.
The hosts kept probing into the second half and the breakthrough finally came on 72 minutes. Noni Madueke’s fierce shot was pushed out by Konstantinos Tzolakis but only into the path of the lurking Odegaard, who fired home.
Their margin of victory probably should have been larger but Madueke was among those to squander chances. Mikel Arteta’s men held on though, for a fifth straight league win.
They now head into the international break in top spot, although Brighton could trim the gap down to five points should they beat Brentford on Sunday.
Arteta reflected: “I’m very happy with the performance and the victory as well. I think it is time to praise my players. What they have done not only today but after the international break is remarkable because of the games.
“We had to wait and be patient in the last part of the game to make the difference and win the game. We kept generating chances, the final pass was missing or the last shot was blocked. We said at half-time if this is the case it will go all the way to full time but at some point it would come.
“We have some great moments, we need to put the chances we are creating against the opponent into the scoreline, That is what we need to improve.”
Beaten Hull chief Sergej Jakirovic has not seen his side win since late August and said: “We need to take lessons. I think this team is still growing. It is a very, very big experience for us to compete at this level and especially against Arsenal.
“We have to continue like this and to fight. We tried to press them and push them forward. They were trying to play short passes. It isn’t easy because you spend a lot of energy and every player for them can pass you.
“I am very pleased. We have to continue, every game for us is a big lesson. It was bad fortune [for the goal]. Maybe we could stop the second ball for their goal. Sometimes I feel sorry because we had three home games and we had the lead and maybe could be more clever in these situations but it is all experience.
“We have to do everything in the next games to reach at least one win.”
