Odegaard’s 72nd-minute goal gives Arsenal 1-0 win over Hull City

Arsenal beat Hull City 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium to consolidate their lead at the top of the Premier League. Captain Martin Odegaard scored the only goal in the 72nd minute, after goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis saved a powerful shot from Noni Madueke.

Mikel Arteta’s side dominated possession but struggled to break down a solid Hull City defence, who threatened to cause an upset. The victory puts Arsenal six points clear of Manchester City, who still had a game to play against Nottingham Forest.

Hull City start well and create danger

Hull City began the match boldly and came close to scoring in the opening minutes. Regan Slater swung in a corner that found John Egan, but the defender’s header ended up in the side netting.

As the match went on, Arsenal gained better control of possession, with Madueke standing out on the right flank and creating several chances, although Gabriel failed to convert a cross.

The visitors continued to cause problems on the counter-attack and, in the 19th minute, Oli McBurnie set up Elliot Stroud, who forced David Raya into a difficult save. Declan Rice also came close to scoring for the Gunners, but his shot went just wide.

The first half featured a controversial moment when Kai Havertz went down in the box after a foul by Nobel Mendy. The VAR suggested a review, but the decision was overturned because Havertz had been offside in the previous phase of play.

Odegaard pounces on the rebound to decide it

The second half saw a more aggressive Arsenal, although Hull still showed danger in some transitions. Madueke continued to be a constant threat and forced Tzolakis into another fine save in the 57th minute.

Arteta made several substitutions to give the team fresh impetus and the pressure on Hull’s defence increased. Arsenal’s persistence was rewarded by Odegaard’s goal: after Tzolakis’s save, he was quicker to react and scored the decisive goal.

With this win, Arsenal remain firmly in the title race, while Hull City, despite the defeat, showed they can compete at a high level. Arsenal now aim to extend their lead in the table even further.