A goal from Martin Odegaard after the break earned Arsenal a 1-0 victory against Hull City at Emirates Stadium on Saturday, moving Mikel Arteta's team six points clear at the Premier League summit. The club's own match report noted it was a fifth successive league victory, while Arseblog News recorded that the captain's strike settled a game Arsenal had dominated without finding fluency for long spells.

Odegaard finds the breakthrough

Arseblog News reported that Arsenal emerged after the interval playing at a higher tempo and shifting the ball more sharply in congested areas. Hull produced a resolute defensive display in their own penalty area, blocking cutbacks and attempts from the edge of the box with bodies, while goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis first dealt with a low strike from Noni Madueke and then got behind a curling attempt from Christos Tzolis.

The deadlock was eventually broken by Odegaard, whose goal the club's live post-match show described as a "sweet strike". Arsenal's team news had the skipper starting after he was introduced late in the midweek win over Slavia Prague.

A frustrating first half and a VAR call

Hull arrived intent on pressing rather than sitting deep, and the visitors had the game's first opportunity when David Raya got down to keep out Elliot Stroud's low attempt, with Mohamed Cho's follow-up blocked. Arsenal, for their part, spent much of the opening half circulating possession down the right, where Madueke looked the sharpest outlet, without creating anything clear until Declan Rice and Tzolis both tested Tzolakis.

A well-worked move involving Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber ended with Tzolis volleying over, and Bruno Guimaraes then slipped Odegaard through to release Havertz, who was caught after taking the ball onto his left foot. Shortly before the interval, referee Farai Hallam was sent to the pitchside monitor after Havertz was pulled in the area by Nobel Mendy; after review, the decision was a free-kick to Hull because Havertz had been offside. Arseblog News noted that views will differ on how the law was applied. Rice then headed straight at Tzolakis.

Changes from Prague and from the bench

Arseblog News reported five alterations to the side that won in Prague, with Timber, Guimaraes, Odegaard, Tzolis and Havertz all recalled. Football.London's live coverage of the teams put the number of changes at six.

With around half an hour remaining, Arteta brought on Mikel Merino and Viktor Gyokeres for Rice and Havertz, a double switch Arseblog News suggested might hint at a load issue given how rarely Rice is withdrawn. Piero Hincapie and Eberechi Eze followed for Riccardo Calafiori and Tzolis.

Saliba managed, Saka missing

William Saliba was not among the substitutes despite having travelled with the group in midweek. Arseblog News reported there was no new injury problem and that the defender's fitness was simply being managed. Football.London had reported before kick-off that Arteta had a clean bill of health apart from Bukayo Saka, who was absent, with Saliba being handled with caution.

What comes next

Arsenal return after the international break with a trip to St James' Park to face Newcastle United in the Premier League on Saturday 21 November, kicking off at 17:30 UK time.

Photo: Photo2023 via Wikimedia Commons, CC0, resized.