Martin Odegaard’s close-range finish proved decisive as Arsenal secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Hull City. This result ensures that the Gunners head into the current international break as the leaders of the Premier League table. Odegaard’s strike enough for Arsenal to get past Hull. Bundled home from close range, may well have been a relief to those at Pro Ref, too, odegaard’s goal though.
The performance was far from polished, yet it marked the 34th time Arsenal have claimed a 1-0 win under Mikel Arteta. This victory matches the team’s best start to a Premier League campaign under the Spanish manager, mirroring the 27 points earned from their opening 10 matches during the 2022-23 season.
Arteta has seen his side excel in these tight encounters, as no team has registered more 1-0 victories since his appointment in 2019. Furthermore, Arsenal have now successfully won their previous 10 home matches across all competitions, maintaining eight clean sheets throughout that dominant run.
However, the match was nearly overshadowed by significant VAR controversy. During the first half, referee Farai Hallam was directed to the pitchside monitor following a shirt pull by Nobel Mendy on Kai Havertz. Although the Emirates crowd anticipated a penalty, the decision was overturned to an offside call against Havertz, with play restarting via a free-kick for Hull. Which denied the Gunners a first-half penalty, threatened to be the story as a largely uneventful game drifted by, a controversial video assistant referee (VAR) decision.
The incident drew comparisons to a previous decision involving Liverpool, where a similar shirt tug on Alexander Isak by Jurrien Timber went unpunished. Because Arsenal ultimately found their 72nd-minute winner through their captain, the potential fallout regarding the officiating standards was largely averted.
