Arsenal moved back to the top of the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage.
Leandro Trossard struck the winner as he kneed in from close range from a Bukayo Saka corner, which had been flicked on at the near post by Gabriel just shy of the hour. The Gunners were on the back foot in the early exchanges as the hosts looked to take the game to their capital counterparts, as Harry Wilson and Raul Jimenez looked energised in the final third.
Wilson himself had a handful of efforts that he dragged wide of the target, while Jimenez linked play effectively on his return to the side. Riccardo Calafiori thought he had opened the scoring with a sweeping beauty into the far corner on 16 minutes, but the Italian’s strike was ruled out for offside.
Mikel Arteta’s side grew into the affair, with Viktor Gyokeres stinging the palms of Bernd Leno in the first half’s only shot on target. Bukayo Saka tested the former Arsenal shot-stopper with a rasping drive in the second period, but the German got down smartly to keep out the England international.
Finally, as it so often is with the north Londoners, it took a set play to break the deadlock. Saka’s deliveries from the right up to that point hadn’t been great, but he clipped in a delightful ball, helped on by Gabriel, which Trossard helped home as he ghosted in at the far post.
Another three points on the road for the Gunners, who retake their place at the summit, having been displaced momentarily by Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, who eased past Everton 2-0 earlier in the day.
After securing a vital 1-0 win against Fulham at the weekend, Arsenal have just a few days off before another important game in the Champions League.
Atletico Madrid are unbeaten in all competitions since their last visit to the UK, where a last-minute goal from Virgil van Dijk secured a 3-2 victory for Liverpool last month.
It means that Mikel Arteta‘s team won’t have everything going their own way when they take to the field on Tuesday night.