Odegaard strikes late as Arsenal grind past Hull to stay top

Martin Odegaard was the unlikely hero as Arsenal ground out a narrow 1-0 victory over Hull City, according to the Daily Mirror ^[1]. Despite being heavy favourites, Mikel Arteta’s side stumbled early, with David Raya forced into alertness against the buoyant visitors.

The breakthrough did not arrive until the 72nd minute when Odegaard pounced on a rebound from Konstantinos Tzolakis’s save, thumping the loose ball into the net to tame the Tigers. The win ensures Arsenal enter the international break as Premier League leaders, extending their lead at the summit.

Before the goal, the match threatened to be defined by video assistant referee controversy. The BBC News reported ^[2] that referee Farai Hallam was sent to the pitchside monitor after Nobel Mendy appeared to pull Kai Havertz’s shirt in the box. Although Hallam acknowledged a holding offence, he ruled out the penalty due to Havertz being in an offside position, leaving the Emirates crowd frustrated.

This decision mirrors recent VAR debates, including a similar incident involving Jurrien Timber and Alexander Isak. Officials determined that because Havertz was the only attacker involved, the offside offence took precedence, a complex interpretation of the laws of the game.

For Arsenal, the result was about resilience rather than flair. It marked their 34th 1-0 win under Arteta, equalling their best start to a season from 2022-23, as noted by the BBC News ^[2]. With Bukayo Saka absent due to a quadricep injury, the burden fell on Odegaard, who has found prolific form, scoring his third league goal of the season after managing only one in the entirety of last year’s campaign.

Hull City proved far from punching bags, keeping Arsenal’s defence honest throughout. The visitors created hairy moments at the back, including a corner where Raya misjudged the flight of the ball. However, the champions did what they had to, finding a way to win despite a largely uneventful first half.

Arsenal remain the lowest scorers among the top four teams, having not netted more than twice in the league since the opening day. The return of Odegaard to his best could prove priceless for Arteta as the title race heats up. The Gunners will look to improve their attacking fluidity when the Premier League resumes after the international break, knowing that grinding out wins may not be sustainable against fiercer opposition.