Arsenal overcame a tough test against struggling Fulham to win 1-0 and maintain their lead at the top of the Premier League, which had been threatened by Manchester City earlier in the day.
Leandro Trossard’s 58th-minute tap-in changed the game for Fulham, who had lost three games in a row, with a dominant first half at Craven Cottage on Saturday.
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Manchester City had moved to the top of the table with a 2-0 home win over Everton before the Gunners kicked off late in the London derby in the west of the capital.
The result leaves Arsenal at the top of the table with a three-point lead, but defending champions Liverpool can close the gap to just one point if they defeat Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday.
Fulham, who had lost to Aston Villa and Bournemouth before the international break, took advantage of their early chances, with Raul Jimenez and Harry Wilson dragging down an attack that would have put the ‘keepers under pressure.
In contrast, Arsenal had a great time in possession but failed to test former keeper Bernd Leno in Fulham’s goal in the opening 30 minutes.
Instead, the chances Fulham continued to find almost overturned the odds when Tom Cairney found space from a corner kick and drove back across the face, but there were too many bodies in the way and allowed Arsenal to thwart their goal-bound effort.
The first notable moment came for record signing Victor Gokeres, who had endured a painfully slow start due to lack of service. The Swedish striker found space in the box but the angle was tight and his low drive was cleared with ease.
The best moment came on the final kick-off of the first half, when Declan Rice took a trademark mid-range shot, but his curl off the top of his foot sent the ball narrowly wide of the post and Leno pinned it to the spot.
Moments into the second period, Bukayo Saka almost put Fulham ahead when he moved from the right and slotted the ball towards goal. Sander Berge stuck his foot out on the ball and almost deflected it into his own goal, but Fulham’s Bundle on the line waved the danger away.
But it didn’t take long for the breakthrough to come as Gabriel rose highest to flick Saka’s corner at the back post and Trossard curled it back in with his thigh.
Saka then nearly doubled his lead with a low drive that Leno turned well to send wide. Meanwhile, the Englishman was given a penalty and overturned after VAR asked Anthony Taylor to review his decision after substitute Kevin clearly played the ball first.
Despite the rest, Fulham were unable to display the same level of challenge they had in the first half.
@Arsenal has another week on top 👏 pic.twitter.com/tg5Up9dCgE
— Premier League (@premierleague) October 18, 2025
Man City aim to return to the top of the Premier League
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland continued his blistering scoring pace with two goals in five minutes in the second half early on Saturday as City took interim lead with victory over Everton.
Josep Guardiola’s side have 16 points after eight games, dropping Arsenal and Liverpool to second and third place respectively. Everton fell to 10th place with 11 points.
The 25-year-old, who has scored in 11 consecutive games for club and country, taking his total to 23 goals this season, broke the deadlock in the 58th minute by diving in and heading in Nico O’Reilly’s cross from the left.
The Norwegian extended City’s lead to two points five minutes later with a powerful left-footed shot from the center of the box after meeting Sabinho’s cross, which was deflected narrowly by Everton’s James Tarkowski and past goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
Haaland was hungry for a hat-trick and created three great chances in the closing stages, with Pickford darting out to save two of them with his legs. Haaland won the ball near Pickford for his third shot, but his looping shot from an impossible angle went wide of the goal.
As the audience chanted “Haaland! Haaland!”, Haaland shook his head in frustration. for his efforts.
City’s Phil Foden praised Haaland for breaking the deadlock, saying the moment was “hugely important”.
“We know he has the qualities to be able to score runs at the perfect time and be in the right position. Even if they mark him and send him out of the game, we know he still has the ability to score and he only gets one chance to score.”
“He was very patient. We didn’t have a lot of space for him today. And as you can see, he’s always there for us at the right time. That’s the mark of a world-class striker.”
There was no emotional homecoming for Everton winger Jack Grealish as he was ineligible to play against his parent club. Grealish was visible on the TV cameras during the game, but the league’s joint assist leader’s absence left a huge hole for David Moyes’ side.
City thoroughly dominated in the second half, with 19 shots on target to Everton’s five, and seven shots on target to the visitors’ one.
Everton squandered their few chances. Early in the game, Iliman Ndiay ran up the right flank and sent a cross to Beto, who slid to the ball but missed the ball wide.
Late in the first half, City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma sent Ndiaye’s long-range shot over the bar.
