Trossard delivers as leaders Arsenal edge Fulham
Arsenal's Leandro Trossard celebrates scoring their side's first goal. Pic: John Walton/PA Wire.
LEANDRO TROSSARD scored his first goal of the season from a trademark set piece to maintain Arsenal’s impressive early-season form and secure a huge victory in the context of their recent run of results here.
Mikel Arteta’s side came to the banks of the River Thames having failed to win in the previous two seasons, results which massively damaged their Premier League title hopes.
And while this was not the free-flowing Arsenal on display prior to the international break, the result is all that will matter to Arteta, his players and the club’s jubilant supporters behind the goal where Trossard struck in the second half.
That this latest clean sheet also made it only three goals conceded in their 11 matches in all competitions this season tells a story of their determination and organisation too.
Fulham boss Marco Silva always gets his club up for this match more than most and they made it an incredibly tough match for Arsenal to win.
Unable to play through Fulham, they tried going long and Riccardo Calafiori had a stunning first-time effort disallowed for offside after a one-touch pass from Leandro Trossard.
The disallowed goals of the season, were there such a category.
Harry Wilson shot narrowly wide the next time Fulham had a decent chance, skilfully created by former Arsenal midfielder Alex Iwobi.
Young Fulham sensation Josh King, keeping Arsenal recruit Emile Smith Rowe out of the side, followed up a decent shot on goal with a speculative curling chip which forced David Raya to scramble and tip over his crossbar. That was Fulham’s sixth effort to Arsenal’s one early on.
Arteta’s side quickly responded with another Calafiori effort before Viktor Gyokeres had a smart snapshot well saved by Bernd Leno, another former Gunner.
The first chance of the evening for the striker who came into the match on a six-match run without a goal, his longest barren spell since he played for Coventry in 2022.
Never mind the big-money NO.9, the entire Arsenal side was under pressure going into the second half with the scores even, and they raised the tempo after the restart with skipper Bukayo Saka leading the charge.
And it was a 58th-minute Saka corner that led to Arsenal taking the lead. He curled in his kick from the right, Gabriel headed the ball on at the near post and Trossard volleyed in at the far post.
Referee Anthony Taylor then inadvertently injected some extra edge into the match when he incorrectly awarded Arsenal a penalty for a Kevin foul on Saka.
Replays cleared showed the Brazilian’s first touch of the ball was the ball and not the player, but it still took an age for Taylor to own up to his error after a nudge from the VAR.
Some might argue it was not a clear and obvious error by the official, but they would most likely lose.
Gyokeres missed a great chance to finish Fulham off when he lifted an 80th-minute shot over the bar, seconds before Arteta sent on Gabriel Martinelli for goalscorer Trossard.
Nine minutes of time added on at the end made for a tense finish.
Raya 6, Timber 7, Saliba 7, Gabriel 7, Calafiori 7, Rice 7, Eze 5 (Merino 62), Zubimendi 6, Saka 7, Trossard 6, Gyokeres 6 (Norgaard 90). Subs: Kepa, Lewis-Skelly, Mosquera, White, Nwaneri, Dowman, Martinelli.
Leno 7, Castagne 6, Andersen 6 (Diop 42), Cuenca 6 (Bassey 82), Sessegnon 7, Berge 6, Iwobi 7, Cairney 6 (Smith Rowe 63), King 7 (Kevin 63), Wilson 7 (Adama 83), Jimenez 6. Subs: Lecomte, Tete, Reed, Reed, Kusi-Asare.
Anthony Taylor 3
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