Arsenal extended their lead at the top of the Premier League table to three points after Leandro Trossard’s second-half strike earned them a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage. The result marked the Gunners’ fifth consecutive win in all competitions and stretched their unbeaten run to eight games.
The visitors, who have been one of the most consistent sides this season, displayed composure and resilience to edge past a spirited Fulham side. Despite a few shaky moments early on, Arsenal grew into the game and eventually found the breakthrough through Belgian forward Trossard, who netted his first league goal of the campaign.
Fulham started brightly, testing Arsenal’s defence with quick exchanges and pressing high. Harry Wilson came close on two occasions — first forcing David Raya into a smart save after being played through by Raul Jimenez, and then curling narrowly wide following a mistake from Gabriel Magalhaes.
Arsenal thought they had taken the lead when Riccardo Calafiori’s fine finish found the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside after a VAR review. As halftime approached, chances fell to Declan Rice and Calafiori, but neither could find the target.
After the restart, Arsenal began to dominate possession. Viktor Gyokeres, still searching for form, was denied by former Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno. Trossard then missed from close range before his persistence paid off in the 58th minute. From Bukayo Saka’s corner, Gabriel flicked the ball on and Trossard reacted quickest to finish from close range.
It was a goal typical of Arsenal’s recent set-piece strength — they have now scored 37 goals from corners in the Premier League since the start of the 2023–24 season.
Saka later came close to doubling the lead, weaving through the Fulham defence before forcing Leno into another excellent stop. Arsenal were briefly awarded a penalty when Saka went down under a challenge, but the decision was overturned after VAR confirmed the defender had made contact with the ball.
Despite a few late scares — including Gyokeres missing two golden chances — Arsenal held firm to secure the points. The victory puts them three points clear at the summit as they continue their pursuit of a first league title since 2004.
