Arsenal secured a 1-0 victory over Hull City at the Emirates Stadium, moving into the international break as Premier League leaders. Captain Martin Odegaard bundled home the winner in the 72nd minute.
The win marked Arsenal's 34th 1-0 victory under manager Mikel Arteta, equalling their best start to a Premier League season with 27 points from 10 games, matching the 2022-23 campaign. The Gunners have won their last 10 home games in all competitions, keeping eight clean sheets in that run.
The match was overshadowed by a VAR controversy in the first half. Referee Farai Hallam was sent to the pitchside monitor for a possible penalty after Hull's Nobel Mendy appeared to pull Kai Havertz's shirt. However, the VAR, Michael Oliver, ruled that Havertz was offside before the foul, and play restarted with a free-kick to Hull. Former Premier League assistant referee Darren Cann told BBC Match of the Day that the foul should have taken precedence over the offside, though the law remains ambiguous.
The incident added to a weekend of VAR debates across English football, including denied penalties for Coventry City against Everton and a contentious non-red card for Tottenham's Jayden Bogle against Leeds.
After the game, Arteta acknowledged his side's struggle to convert chances, noting Arsenal have not scored more than twice in a league game since the opening day. The team is missing injured winger Bukayo Saka, while Kai Havertz and Christos Tzolis have not returned to peak form after hamstring issues. Arteta urged his players to be "more chaotic" and efficient in front of goal.
Despite the attacking concerns, Arsenal's defensive solidity and winning habit have them on course to potentially defend the Premier League title, which would be the first back-to-back triumph in 100 years.
