Goal caps eye-catching Odegaard display as Arsenal beat Hull at Emirates Stadium
Arsenal needed a late goal from Martin Odegaard to beat Hull at the Emirates Stadium in their match on 7 November 2026, with Odegaard following up Noni Madueke's shot to tap in the winner and extend Arsenal's lead at the top.
Arsenal had believed they should have been awarded a first-half penalty but were held by a resolute Hull side until Odegaard's decisive finish. BBC Sport published player ratings for both teams, with readers able to compare their own scores to the reporter's assessments. The report noted Madueke's initial effort created the chance that led directly to the decisive touch by Odegaard.
In goal for Arsenal, David Raya was given a 6 for a good save when Elliot Stroud drilled a low cross into the area. Jurrien Timber was rated 5 and described as not having his best game in an Arsenal shirt. Ezri Konsa received a 7, with the report calling it another good performance since signing for the Gunners. Gabriel Magalhaes was also rated 7 despite being caught on the ball once, while Riccardo Calafiori earned a 6 for a solid defensive showing but less influence going forward.
Among Arsenal's midfield and attacking players, Declan Rice was handed a 6 after going closest in the first half with an effort from the edge of the box before being substituted. Bruno Guimaraes was rated 6 and described as still getting up to the pace of the season. Martin Odegaard was the top-rated Arsenal player with an 8: the report said he scored the crucial goal, injected pace whenever on the ball and deserved to score the winner. Noni Madueke received a 7 for his dangerous early deliveries and driving runs, Christos Tzolis was given a 5 for energy but limited end product, and Kai Havertz was rated 4 after a disappointing first half and being ruled offside following a VAR check when he went down under a shirt pull.
Arsenal's substitutes were graded as follows: Gyokeres (on 63 for Havertz) 5, Merino (on 63 for Rice) 6 as a calming influence, Eze (on 69 for Tzolis) 6 for adding flair, and Hincapie (on 69 for Calafiori) 6 for overlapping as Arsenal pushed for the win; Zubimendi (on 89 for Guimaraes) was listed N/A. Subs not used for Arsenal were Arrizabalaga, White, Mosquera and Lewis-Skelly.
Hull's goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis was rated 7 and noted for pushing Madueke's shot back into a dangerous area that resulted in the goal. Right-back Lewie Coyle received a 6 and was replaced on the hour, while Semi Ajayi was given a 7 but came off with an injury. John Egan was rated 7 after an early header opportunity, and Nobel Mendy earned a 6 despite an incident described as perhaps a lucky escape after a shirt pull on Havertz. Elliot Stroud was rated 5 after forcing Raya into a smart stop, with Regan Slater 6, Tim Iroegbunam 6, Lucas Gourna-Douath 6 and both Mohamed-Ali Cho and Oli McBurnie on 6 for their work off the ball.
Hull's substitutes included Gelhardt (on 60 for Cho) rated 6 for adding right-wing threat, Norton-Cuffy (on 61 for Coyle) 6 and booked after making his first tackle, Herrington (on 69 for Ajayi) 6 with Hull conceding soon after his introduction, and Mouzakitis (on 75 for Iroegbunam) and Giles (on 75 for Stroud) both listed N/A. Unused Hull substitutes were Butland, Thomas, Hjerto-Dahl and Vaz.
Odegaard's late finish not only decided the match but, as reported, extended Arsenal's lead at the top; after the opportunity to rate players had closed, the scores displayed represent the average from all submissions by BBC Sport users.
