Trossard fires Arsenal to gritty victory over Fulham

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Arsenal secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage in a tense Premier League encounter that kept fans on edge until the final whistle.

Leandro Trossard was the hero for Mikel Arteta’s men, scoring the only goal of the match in the 59th minute after reacting quickest to a loose ball inside the box. His rebound finish into the middle of the net gave Arsenal the lead their dominance deserved.

The Gunners controlled possession for much of the game, with over 60 percent of the ball, but were repeatedly frustrated by a resolute Fulham defence and the heroics of goalkeeper Bernd Leno, who denied Viktor Gyökeres and Riccardo Calafiori with two brilliant saves in the first half.

Fulham, however, were no pushovers. Alex Iwobi and Harry Wilson created chances of their own, with Wilson coming agonisingly close in the 26th minute when his drive whistled inches wide of the post.

The second half burst into life when referee Anthony Taylor awarded Arsenal a penalty in the 65th minute for a trip on Gyökeres. But after a VAR review, the decision was overturned, to the fury of the Arsenal players and bench.

Despite the setback, Arsenal held their composure and tightened their grip on the game. Substitutes Gabriel Martinelli and Christian Nørgaard added fresh energy in the closing minutes, as the Gunners defended their slender lead with discipline.

Fulham pushed hard for an equaliser in stoppage time, with Adama Traoré and Raúl Jiménez threatening on the break, but Arsenal’s backline — marshalled by Declan Rice and William Saliba, stood firm.

The final whistle was met with relief from the Arsenal bench as Arteta’s side extended their unbeaten run.

With the win, Arsenal are now top of the premier league table.