Odegaard's late winner rescues Arsenal against stubborn Hull
Martin Odegaard struck late to save Arsenal from a frustrating afternoon against a stubborn Hull City side at the Emirates Stadium, tapping in after Noni Madueke's shot was spilled into the danger area.
Arsenal dominated large spells of the game but were made to work hard by the Tigers, who held firm for long periods and might have had reason to feel aggrieved by the officiating at the other end. According to BBC Sport, Arsenal felt they should have been awarded a penalty in the first half when Kai Havertz went down under a shirt pull from Nobel Mendy, only for a VAR check to rule the German offside.
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A disjointed display from Arteta's side
Despite eventually finding a breakthrough, it was far from a vintage performance from Mikel Arteta's side. Havertz endured a difficult afternoon, turning back instead of shooting when played through on goal in one of the clearer chances of the match, with BBC Sport's player ratings handing him just a 4 out of 10, the lowest mark of anyone on the pitch.
Jurrien Timber also struggled to hit his usual standards at right back, rated 5, while Christos Tzolis offered energy down the left but little end product. Declan Rice went closest in the first half with an effort from the edge of the box before being withdrawn as Arsenal chased the winner.
Odegaard, by contrast, was central to everything positive Arsenal produced. The captain injected pace into the play whenever he received the ball and was ultimately rewarded with the decisive goal, earning an 8 out of 10, the highest rating of the match alongside strong performances from Gabriel Magalhaes and Ezri Konsa at the back.
Impact from the bench
Arteta turned to his substitutes as Arsenal searched for a way through a well organised Hull defence. Eberechi Eze added flair after replacing Tzolis, Mikel Merino brought a calming influence in midfield, and Piero Hincapie offered a more traditional option at left back as Arsenal pushed numbers forward late on. Viktor Gyokeres, introduced for Havertz, struggled to make much of an impact before the winning goal arrived.
Hull were not without their own bright spots. Konstantinos Tzolakis made a string of saves to keep the scoreline level for as long as possible, while John Egan and Semi Ajayi, who was forced off with an injury, both put in committed defensive shifts against Arsenal's attacking threat. Lucas Gourna-Douath was a calming presence shielding Hull's back four for much of the contest before tiring as Arsenal increased the pressure in the closing stages.
The result keeps Arsenal's winning momentum going, even if the performance leaves plenty for Arteta to work on, particularly in attack, ahead of the next round of fixtures.
