Arsenal tightened their grip on the Premier League summit with a narrow 1-0 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday, courtesy of Leandro Trossard’s second-half goal.

The Gunners, far from their fluent best, relied once again on their set-piece prowess to edge past a stubborn Fulham side.

Set-piece precision breaks Fulham resistance

The breakthrough came midway through the second half when Bukayo Saka’s corner was flicked on by Gabriel and bundled in at the back post by Trossard.

It marked Arsenal’s 50th goal from a corner since the start of the 2022/23 campaign, by far the most in the Premier League, highlighting their continued dead-ball efficiency.

Fulham, who had frustrated Arsenal in recent visits to west London, offered resilience but struggled to create clear chances. Harry Wilson missed their best opportunity, firing wide after a defensive lapse.

Gunners grind out vital win

Viktor Gyökeres squandered several good openings for the visitors, while Bernd Leno produced fine saves to keep the game tight against his former club.

Arsenal briefly thought they had a penalty before VAR overturned the decision for minimal contact on Saka.

Despite an unconvincing display, Arsenal’s defensive duo of Gabriel and William Saliba ensured another clean sheet, their fifth of the season, as Mikel Arteta’s men went three points clear at the top.

Liverpool could cut the gap to one point when they face Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday, but for now, Arsenal remain in control of the title race. Fulham, meanwhile, sink to 14th after a third straight defeat.