How Arsenal star's unforgettable performance secured champions crucial win

Arsenal huffed and puffed and eventually the Hull house came down.

For much of the afternoon, that did not necessarily feel inevitable. For more than 70 minutes, Hull held firm and the champions were not exactly creating an abundance of chances.

Frustration grew around the stadium, the fear that another international break would be spent stewing with frustration and regret.

Mikel Arteta’s side had earlier in the match been denied a penalty in bizarre circumstances. Referee Farai Hallam halted play to go to the monitor, where he decided Kai Havertz had been pulled down in the box.

Incredulous: Kai Havertz

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He returned to the pitch to announce that, sparking cheers in the stands, only those cheers drowned out the sentence that followed, stating that Havertz was offside and so the penalty would not be given.

A glance at the rules suggests that was the wrong decision and it should have been awarded regardless of the offside. When Lewie Coyle then avoided a second yellow card for hacking Christos Tzolis down early in the second half, plenty in the Emirates were fearing this might just be one of those days.

It was necessary, then, that Martin Odegaard delivered a captain’s moment, following in after Noni Madueke’s shot was saved to net the winner and drag Arsenal over the line.

The Norwegian led from the front even before the first whistle was blown. With Hull preparing to take the kick-off, Odegaard bellowed and waved frantically at Tzolis, making it clear it would be his job to close down the Hull goalkeeper when it was played back.

Early in the first half, Tzolis was getting another earful. As Odegaard led the press centrally, the ball was played out to Hull’s right into open space. The skipper sprinted back with his arms outstretched, frustrated that his winger had not been following in support.

The Arsenal captain should have had an assist before half time. He slipped a lovely ball through to Havertz who was clean through on goal, only for the German to inexplicably try and chop back onto his left foot and waste the chance.

Odegaard had a big moment at the other end of the pitch, too. When Hull broke from an Arsenal corner, it was Odegaard who found himself as the last man back.

Mohamed Cho threatened to run in on goal and had the beating of Odegaard for pace, but the midfielder got his body in the way and won the ball back brilliantly.

Adored: Martin Odegaard

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After the break, the No8 provided not only the winner but the intent to keep going. He waved his team-mates on at every opportunity and buzzed around the pitch.

Only Bruno Guimaraes had more touches than Odegaard. The Norway international created five chances, more than anyone on the pitch, and he also led the way for line-breaking passes.

It was far from a convincing performance from Arsenal but that did not matter. After three away matches in a week, and with this the final game before the international break, all that mattered was a victory.

The north Londoners got that and now have nine wins from ten matches in the league. This match will be quickly forgotten, a sign that it was job done and little more than that, but Odegaard’s contribution should not be.