Leandro Trossard’s first Premier League goal of the season proved decisive as Arsenal returned to the top of the table with a 1-0 win at Fulham.
Having been displaced by Manchester City after their 2-0 defeat of Everton earlier on Saturday, the Gunners responded to move three points clear at the top.
Riccardo Calafiori had a sensational strike ruled out for offside in a low-key first half, but Trossard broke the deadlock in the 58th minute following a typically well-worked corner routine.
Bukayo Saka thought he had won Arsenal a penalty after tussling with Kevin inside Fulham’s box, but that decision was overturned following a VAR review, although the Gunners held on to their lead with relative comfort.
While Arsenal will sit pretty at the top for at least another week, even if Liverpool beat Manchester United on Sunday, Fulham are in 14th after a third straight defeat.
How the match unfolded
Mikel Arteta’s team had the ball in the back of the net in the 18th minute when Calafiori swept a curling effort into the top-right corner, but it was ruled out for offside.
Harry Wilson then fired narrowly wide after collecting Alex Iwobi’s drilled pass before Josh King almost caught David Raya out, with the visiting goalkeeper forced to tip a cross-shot over the bar.
A quiet performance from Viktor Gyokeres almost sparked into life after he was fed by Saka, but the Swede’s right-footed shot from a tight angle was blocked by Bernd Leno.
Arsenal’s persistence eventually paid off just before the hour mark when Saka’s inviting corner was flicked on by Gabriel Magalhaes for Trossard to turn home.
Saka’s overturned spot-kick was the closest either side came until the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time, but Leno was on hand to deny Gyokeres and Gabriel Martinelli in quick succession.
Three defeats on the bounce for Fulham
Fulham certainly made Arsenal work for this victory, though Marco Silva’s team are in worrying form, and sit only three points above the bottom three – even if the season is still young, that is not a sight the Portuguese boss will be content with.
Matters might have been different if not for Raya, who made an early stop from Raul Jimenez before talented teenager King saw a shot towards goal headed over by Declan Rice.
Fulham continued to look the more threatening in the first half as Wilson and King came close, and there was little for Arsenal to write home about in the opening period, that disallowed Calafiori finish aside.
However, Fulham’s cause was not helped by the loss of Joachim Andersen to injury, and the defender’s absence in the area was perhaps pivotal as Trossard capitalised from a set-piece.
Fulham had their chances, though, with Wilson firing two shots over in quick succession, but their attempts at trying to break down the division’s sternest defence proved ineffective.
Silva’s side will try to get back to winning ways next Saturday, but face another tricky test away at Newcastle United.
Arsenal grind it out
Arteta and Arsenal knew the importance of all three points against a side they have often struggled against in recent seasons, though they could not get going from an attacking perspective before the break.
Arsenal’s most positive outlet during the first half came down their left between Trossard and Calafiori, who, as well as being denied by the offside flag, also struck a fierce volley over Leno’s crossbar six minutes before the break.
Gyokeres also came close, with Rice ending the first 45 minutes with a curling effort that narrowly evaded the left-hand post from just outside the box, but the Gunners were far from their attacking peak.
But as has often been the case under Arteta, Arsenal’s reliable weapon in their armoury – their set-pieces – came up trumps again. They have now scored 37 goals from corners in the Premier League since the start of the 2023/24 season, at least 16 more than any other team.
Watch all SEVEN of Arsenal's corner goals this season
From there, the Gunners’ strong defence was able to navigate the remainder of the contest, doing what Fulham had done to them in the first half, with this result sending a message to their title rivals.
Arsenal return to UEFA Champions League action on Tuesday as they welcome Atletico Madrid to Emirates Stadium, before they host Crystal Palace in the league next weekend.
Club reports
Fulham report | Arsenal report
What the managers said
Marco Silva: "When you lose a game, it is always a disappointing one. They were at a very good level. We did create chances to score before Arsenal. They were more on that than on ourselves.
"We knew it was not going to be easy, a tough team to play against but I think we kept them away from big chances in the game. After the goal, we did react and started to play more in our way again."
Mikel Arteta: "It is a really tough place to come, a really organised team and a really good manager who knows how to set up. When the context is 0-0 and the game gets longer and longer it becomes more difficult, but we showed a lot of maturity.
"We kept knocking on the door in various ways and in the end we find a way with the set piece to do it but we deserved it in the end.”
Next PL fixtures
Key facts
Arsenal haven't faced a shot on target in consecutive Premier League games for the first time since November in their last title winning season of 2003/04, with the second game in that run also coming against Fulham.
Arsenal are the first side to have 10 different scorers in the Premier League this season: Gyokeres, Saka, Timber, Calafiori, Zubimendi, Rice, Merino, Martinelli, Gabriel, Trossard.
Fulham have lost three successive Premier League games for the first time since Boxing Day 2023, while it’s their first home defeat of 2025/26 (W2 D1).
Arsenal have as many as 19 points from their opening eight Premier League games of a season for the third time in the last four campaigns (21 in 2022/23, 20 in 2023/24) – of the eight previous instances in the competition they’ve had 19+ points at this stage, they’ve won the title only once (2003/04).