Trossard goal downs Fulham as Arsenal go top of the Premier League

0:06Thanks for joining us on the Sky Sports Premier League podcast. A London derby took centre stage on Saturday evening as Fulham welcomed Arsenal to Craven Cottage. This is how we saw things when the final whistle blew.

0:29Arsenal only loaned leadership of the Premier League to Manchester City for a few hours. They are back in top and there to stay for this weekend. Another victory, another clean sheet, another goal from a corner. Leandro Trossard was the player who scored it after Bukayo Saka's kick had been knocked onto him by Gabriel. Saka, the outstanding individual player on the day for Arsenal, who've ground out a victory that they needed against the Fulham team that were impressive in the first half didn't have as much of an impact in the second it's a tough period for Marco Silva with both results and the injuries that are coming his way but it is all smiles for Arsenal who for now in the short term are out of Liverpool's reach and they've laid the bogey that was here after two games where they didn't win at Craven Cottage they have seen this one out Fulham 0, Arsenal 1.

1:31And that is another one ticked off. And yes, they dropped points against Newcastle last season, against West Ham and against Fulham. And in the last three games, they have won all of them. Was there ever any doubt Steve Sidwell once Arsenal got themselves in front? I still thought Fulham had a chance. But, you know, I think that's going to be the story this season with Arsenal. You know, it's not going to be pretty every single game. They've shown a side to me, certainly a mentality side, that they're prepared to grind games out as they've done last season. And when it's not going pretty, they can rely on their set pieces as they've done in many seasons before.

2:10So it's just another confidence boost in performance where it's more of a victory that gets them over the line and gets them into the next game where they can just take positives from that. They're doing it their way, though, don't they, Jeremy? Another set piece, another clean sheet. Do you think they care if it's not pretty? No, why would you? Seven of their 15 goals this season have come from corners. They're efficient, they're very good at them, they attack the ball and somehow they find the smallest man on the pitch scoring the goal today. Because normally we look at this Arsenal team and you bring in match winners like the man in front of you like Eze, it doesn't always matter.

2:40If he's not quite firing today, then they can find another way of scoring goals. And they are really efficient and very well organised from set pieces. You can see how much of an effect it has on other teams. They can't defend against them. Every time one comes in, there's pure fear. a huge result for it today. You know, when you look back at the performances and the results last year, they didn't win at Fulham. They've won today three points. They've laid down the marker to Liverpool tomorrow. They've now gone back top of the table and a huge win for them, as Steve rightly says. Do you think that scene up against Steve, the fact that these have been bogey fixtures for them and this season it seems they are getting over these hurdles with not too much scare, not too much threat?

3:19Yeah, and you'll take that all day as a player, as a manager, anyone that's associated with Arsenal. I mean, the Arsenal fans, if you're watching at home or if you've got the stadium there that was there today, it's all about getting the three points. You know, by hook or by crook, you just get over the line, especially when you're not at the levels where they weren't today. It felt like today it was a performance that was just after an international game. They've not had a lot of time to prepare. Players have played internationals, maybe travel. They've just seen below par their performance. But as long as you get the victory, as long as you get the points on the board, especially now when you are competing every single week, Every single point matters.

3:55That is a huge, huge win for Arsenal today. Yeah, we've described it as sleepy the first half an hour for the Gunners today, but there was nothing sleepy about them in that second half. That set-piece goal again has been the difference. 1-0 to the Arsenal. It wasn't really a case of anyone feeling their way into the Premier League again after the international break. Chelsea with a thumping win at Nottingham Forest, and that was the end for Ange Posikoglu, who sacked 19 minutes after the final whistle in that game, just 39 days into his winless reign. And there are the reports tonight that Sean Dyche is leading the race to replace him.

4:32Brighton with two goals from Danny Welbeck beat Newcastle by two goals to one. Burnley, a 2-0 victory over Leeds, their second win of the season. Absolute ding-dong thriller at Selhurst Park. Bournemouth thought they were cruising to victory, but Palace hit back with a hat-trick from Jean-Philippe Mateta. his equalising goal coming from the penalty spot in the 90 plus seventh minute. Two goals for Erling Haaland as Manchester City beat Everton by two goals to nil. Really important victory for Sunderland, still unbeaten at the Stadium of Light. 2-0 win over winless Wolves at 3 o 'clock this afternoon.

5:07And as we've just seen, Arsenal with that one goal victory. You can scan the QR code, it'll take you straight to the Sky Sports app where you catch up on all the goals and highlights from today's action so far. And we're not done yet this weekend because we've got Spurs Villa and then Liverpool-Manchester United to come on Super Sunday with Monday Night Football returning as Nuno looks for his first win in charge of West Ham United as they take on Brentford.

5:35So, Arsenal are back in front and they have extended their lead to three points over Manchester City. Liverpool in action tomorrow against Manchester United. Bournemouth in the top four. Chelsea rising. Sunderland rising as well. And Brighton climbing as well into ninth place.

6:11Not got Sky Sports? Existing Sky customers can upgrade their package. Or if you've not got Sky, you can sign up at sky.com. Now, let's get back to the Sky Sports Premier League podcast.

6:321-0 to the Arsenal at Craven Cottage. Well, they haven't won in the last two seasons, but it feels like there is a different story emerging this time round as Arsenal reclaim their place at the top of the table with 16 shots to nine. One shot in the first 34 minutes for the Gunners today. No shots on target from Fulham. West Ham didn't have a shot on target against Arsenal either, so that is the first time since they last won the title in 2003-04 that they've gone back-to-back games without conceding, without facing a shot on target. Impressive stuff. You can see they dominated on the expected goals, but that set-piece crucial against going from one of those ten corners.

7:16The delivery came from the left boot of Bukayo Saka. I'm delighted to say that he is waiting to talk to us now. Congratulations, Bukayo. I hope you can hear us all right on that. Yeah, yeah. The delivery again and another important three points. But it took your team a while to get going tonight. Tell us what that's like when you come back from international duty, presumably not too many training sessions, but yet everybody's expecting you to hit the heights straight away. Yeah, obviously, there's a lot of expectation on us. We know that and we didn't start the game how we expected and how we wanted to, but we have the experience now to understand.

7:53We've come here a few years and not got the results that we wanted, but today we were able to turn that around and show that we can win in the end. So everyone in change, I'm so happy with that. Does it feel like a significant victory to you, Bakaia? Yeah, for sure. Even if it doesn't to others, it does to us. You know, this season, we beat Newcastle, who we struggled against in the pass away. West Ham as well, who we had problems with at home. And now Fulham away, we struggled with. So it's points that we've been picking up that in recent seasons we haven't been picking up. So we're happy with this result.

8:25Bakao, Jamie Redknapp, congratulations. I thought from your point of view, it was a real captain's performance today. Because it wasn't easy. First 20 minutes, you had a bit of battle with Cescene. and then you really started coming to your own, started to run the game, started to deliver great crosses and little bits of individual play. Did you get that feeling as well? Yeah, yeah, I got the feeling. You know, it was a tough start to the game, but in my mind, it's like I just want to get the ball and, you know, make things happen. And even if I miss one, I miss two, you know, I'm going to keep going.

8:52And, you know, I grew into the game and I felt I had a good performance in there, which I'm happy with. Talk to us about that set piece. Obviously, corners are a huge part for you. After eight games last season, you had three goals from corners. this year you've already got seven. Great delivery from you. You've obviously helped when you've got Gabriel attacking it. Yeah, yeah, it helps. It helps. We've got some big guys in the box. And, you know, at the start of the game, I took some rubbish corners, you know. I was quite disappointed. But, you know, I kept going. And, yeah, I think this is the fourth one.

9:21And, yeah, I put it in. And, you know, it was a nice delivery. Gabriel got the touch. And obviously Leo got the goal. So I'm very happy with that. Sorry? Why do you think you were taking rubbish corners, in your words? Did you not see them? But I'm guessing you practice this skill over and over to land it in that right spot. Yeah, yeah. It's something we work on a lot. It's quite clear, you know, we're quite good at it. So, yeah, we have high standards for ourselves. And like I said, I was happy with the ones in the end, which helped us get the goal. But, Kaio, I want to talk about the penalty incident.

9:56You looked a bit perplexed, obviously, when it was given and then not given. and your face is telling me everything there. What's your feeling? Because Kevin obviously goes to, has a little nibble at you, and then you get a touch. What's your thoughts on it? Yeah, for me, it's a penalty, you know. Of course, I understand he touched the ball, but I felt a big contact on my right knee, you know, before he touched the ball. And for me, any contact in the box like that is a penalty. But, you know, a decision has been made. I don't want to dwell on it, you know. It's happened in the past. I don't want to dwell on it.

10:28Let's just move forward. We've got the three points. And, yeah, that's my opinion. Bakal, I'd love to get an insight in the training ground, in team meetings with the manager or just even around the training ground with the players themselves. For me, I really see a different mentality to Arsenal so far this season. I see a real belief within the players that you can go and win the Premier League, especially with the quality that you've added in the summer as well. Do you see that shift or is there a mentality shift that you can really go that one step further this season and do it? Yeah, we believe and the mentality is simple, you know, it's winning any context.

11:09There'll be games where we're dominating possession. There'll be games where we're struggling. The game's on top of us, you know, sometimes we might have to defend, you know. Any context, we win. That's the mentality for us and we showed that today, you know, we started poor and in the end we won. So, yeah, that's what we're trying to do this season. that will help us get over the line, I think. But I wanted to ask you, Bukayo, as well, as one of the best attacking players in the Premier League, what do you think when people say, you know, that Arsenal are where they are because they're strong defensively or they are a defensive team?

11:40What's your take on that? To be fair, it's fine. You know, people are always going to have their opinions. People are always going to talk. In the end, it's up to us to show it. So I don't mind. I feel like the numbers myself, the rest of the attackers that we've got in the past, recent season, some of the best in the Premier League. So, like I said, people can say what they want, but in the end, we just want to win. You've done that job. Well done tonight. Thanks so much for talking to us, Bukayo. Thank you very much. And the Arsenal machine keeps rolling on, doesn't it? That's what it needs to do.

12:14It's just getting points. And when you're just off the mark, then you rely on set pieces, which they heavily do and they do it so well. I think it's positive that he's sort of self-critiquing his own set-piece delivery. Listen, I'm sure Jamie might be the same. I'd be the same. You could have the best game in the world. If I'd done two sloppy passes or one loose pass, that would be the one that I'd be like, but people would go, you've had a great game. But no, that one just got away. That's the details. That's the levels. That's the difference of winning the Premier League and not competing and not getting there.

12:46I know they have a deep squad now, Jamie. They have options. but do you feel he is... I know what you're going to say. I was just thinking to myself. They'll be desperate to keep him fit. Absolutely. And don't get me wrong, of course, they've got players that can play on that side. They've got one area. Max Dalman's certainly one for the future, as we all know. But he is the man. He's the man. And that's why I talked about being a leader today because he's not your conventional. When we go back to the likes of Tony Adams as a captain at that football club, but he took the game by the scruff of the neck today.

13:13When the team was struggling, they didn't quite have that flow and he grew into the game. And that little battle with Sesson was really interesting. And as the game went on, he just started to win it. Some lovely bits of play. Obviously, that one could have gone either way. A little bit of skill. This touch here, look. And then all of a sudden, he's got two men around him. They don't know what to do with him. And it's so difficult. This little bit of play here. He plays a great one too there with Trossard. Lovely little nutmeg. And then gets his shot away. He was fabulous today. And he said it took a while for him to get going.

13:42It's a sign of maturity, I think, from him as well when he's experienced where the first, what, opening 20, 25, 30 minutes. He wasn't really in the game. Fulham doubled up. And, you know, a ground where they've probably been not successful in previous seasons, it's easy to probably go, oh, it's not my day today. Whereas, no, he's taking the responsibility. He's taking on his shoulders to go, listen, when I get a chance, I think half a chance to try and have a strike or a set piece. I'm going to make sure I do it with quality and to the best of my ability. Absolutely. And he's had some really tough games against Anthony Robertson previously, who seems to have his number a bit.

14:14Obviously, a different proposition today with Sessignon, on, but it was a really good battle. But I feel if they can keep him fit, that's going to be a massive key for them. Obviously, there's certain other players, like you look at Saliba, Gabriel, partnerships in that team. Odegaard they've shown today they can get by without him, but Saka just feels, he's irreplaceable. Let's have a look at the goal and the set piece delivery, which he did get right eventually. Now, if you're being really simplistic about this, as I would choose to be, probably, it relies on Bakayo Saka putting in a fantastic ball into the area that he wants to hit.

14:46and Gabriel getting a run and making that first round. Well, Gabriel is obviously... So, first of all, let's just try and get an understanding of Fulham's setup. Now, what they've tried to do is, you can see Gabriel here, number six. They've got Sessignon and Harry Wilson as what you would call blockers. It's probably the worst job you've got. It's an absolute nightmare because it's a complete mismatch. You've got heavyweight against two lightweights in boxing. They cannot stop him. Although, in theory, you're saying, and you might do all the set pieces you can, block him as much as you can, stop him with all your will.

15:19You can't hold him now. It's impossible. You know, we saw a penalty today, which people have probably seen more later on in the Sky Sports app in the Crystal Palace Bournemouth game where someone gets caught for holding. You're just trying to slow him up. But how do you stop a 6 '4 man mountain who wants to attack the ball? Can I ask you a question there? Can you actually, could you not actually stand together and like, create some sort of barrier? Yes, you can, but he will run through you. And he has got, as much as his delivery is good, and as much as you've got a great set-piece coach, he is unbelievable at attacking the ball.

15:49One of the best in world football, isn't he, Steve? Yeah, he is. And I think what sums up literally is that Fulham have done, they've sacrificed two on one. I mean, I think just like your picture, Declan Rice is free on the edge of the box. So if anything goes over, they're willing to let that go over. But what you'll see when this ball comes in is you'll see a player that has got one thought in his mind, more so than all of these Fulham players, is that I am going to get my head on this ball. I am going to get first contact. Now, I agree. I agree. I still think Cesson or Harry Wilson can slow him down, get more body contact.

16:24But you're talking about a distance from there to there without. Yeah, I hear you. I just think it's impossible. Just watch as it comes in. Look, he's going to. He just wants it. He's hungry. He's starving to get on the end of this ball. And he just runs and gets that get out of the way. And then he's got to run and everybody else is doing a standing start. And then the smallest player on the pitch then wins it. Now, I'm going to just highlight a bit here as well, because I just, hopefully, can you see my... Yeah, there's the goal scorer there. He's just nipped in between. He's the furthest Arsenal player.

16:52You've got Jimenez, who's the back player. He was brilliant from a defensive perspective for his team today, but I can't quite understand what he's doing in this situation. He's the wrong side of the furthest player, and he gets caught massively here. But the delivery comes in. It's perfect, the header. And then Trossard really improvises great. The other player... This is a great view, Jamie, of showing this scrap here. Yeah, and the other one I want to highlight is here, number 15, Cuenca. Because what Cuenca does, because he feels that he can win this ball as it comes in, but because Gabriel gets the header, keep your eye on Jimenez as well.

17:23I'm not sure you do two or three things at once here, but Jimenez gets caught the wrong side of Trossard. Poor piece of play, but Cuenca just, if he stays where he is there, he heads this away, but he doesn't. He gets enticed into trying to win it. Watch him, number 15. He makes a little run right at the last second. Look, gets underneath it, and then Trossard at the back post. Jimenez is too late. but delivery is absolutely spot on. You watch Cuenca here. There he is. Look at him. He wants to head it, but he misses it. And then really clever finish. Do not underestimate how good that finish is.

17:53Sorry, just quickly. Very, very, very, very, very quickly. It's where Fulham really know exactly what Arsenal are going to do. They're going to drag everyone to the front post and they just don't deal with it.

18:11hello Andy Scott here host of the Sky Sports toe-to-toe podcast alongside a host of top guests we're here every Tuesday bringing you the very latest boxing news and we go toe-to-toe with the biggest names in the sport So, if you love boxing, join me on Toe to Toe, wherever you listen to your podcasts. That's Toe to Toe, a Sky Sports podcast.

18:43This is the Sky Sports Premier League podcast. Let's get more analysis of the game and return to the student. Feels like another significant step in the right direction for Arsenal today. where they haven't won in the last two seasons, they managed to conquer that today. With a 1-0 victory over Fulham, Mikel Arteta now with Natalie Gebre. Mikel, a hard-fought win. How proud are you when the team wins like this tonight? Yes, very good. Really tough place to come. Really good sign. We knew that. We experienced it in the last few years. I think we've done a lot to win the game. We put a lot into it, and we had some difficulties on some giveaways in the first half and certain transitions.

19:29I think we overcome that and became more dominant through the game. And it was against a really good organized team, insisting, being like a hammer in a reaction. And at the end, through that and insisting and insisting and insisting, we found a way to score the goal. Yeah, you mentioned the giveaways in the first half. There were some really good defending from them as well. They were very compact. But what do you feel it was difficult, took your time to really get going that first half? Well, the simplicity in certain aspects with the ball, especially that we give the ball away and allow certain transitions.

20:00Then we have to change a little bit the structure as well to facilitate certain things for us. And that gives us more fluidity as well. And then it takes time as well. Against that block, the longer it goes with a nail-nail, not even if they score a goal. Because they've been together for many years and they know how to adapt that. But we created some big, big chances as well. And we'll score a few more goals. So overall, very happy. And with Trossard scoring, how much do you feel like he's benefiting from Martinelli scoring when he has the chances and the other way around? Because the team's obviously benefiting from it.

20:30Yeah, I think it's a lot of goal scorer, really, very early in the season, which is great. Spreading the goals and not just relying on a player to do the job. That's a biggest strength of us. Another clean sheet, which is really, really good to see. So, very happy. One of the... Bless you, Mikel. Bless you. Yes. Don't worry. Don't worry. A lot of talk around Trostard and Martinelli because they've both been delivering. They call it a good problem for the manager. How's it been for you this season? Because you've never had so many options. How's it been for you to manage the players that want more time?

21:05A joy. Because that's what we want, to be better as a team and to have players with that mindset, the state of play. And you put two examples, I can name so many. Christian, you ask him to play the last five minutes and he plays the best five minutes that he can play. And that's what we need and very happy with that. How did you feel about the penalty shout? Well, the only thing I was saying is it clear and obvious if it takes that long. That's the only thing. I've just been told that it wasn't a penalty. So that's it. They made the right call. It's just I was a bit surprised with how long the process took.

21:39But they explained the reason why. So let's move on. Fulham, before that, West Ham, Newcastle. Before the match, we were talking about these important wins against so-called bogey teams. What does it say about the process, the maturing process of this team? Yeah, and learning from that side. At the end, you have to put it and win and join a game. Sometimes it goes through very, very small details that today we managed better than we did a year ago. But we need to continue. It's very early. Yeah, it's very early and finally still October. But the fans were obviously excited, chanting the top of the league.