Arsenal ground out a 1-0 win over Hull City at the Emirates, and the Arsenal players ratings vs Hull City reflect an afternoon that demanded patience more than invention. The defending champions head into the international break six points clear of Manchester City, with five straight league wins behind them and a habit of finding a way when the football is not flowing. That matters with William Saliba absent and the depth of Mikel Arteta’s squad tested every week. Hull sat in a stubborn, deeply organised block, and Arsenal held 71% possession without creating much from it.
The first half was drab, lifted only by a Declan Rice strike from the edge of the area and a bizarre VAR sequence just before the break. Kai Havertz was fouled inside the box by Nobel Mendy, and the referee acknowledged the shirt pull, but the penalty was dismissed because Havertz was caught offside.
Arsenal needed until the 72nd minute to break through. Noni Madueke cut in from the right and drove at goal; Konstantinos Tzolakis could only parry, and captain Martin Ødegaard reacted quickest to smash in the rebound. Hull pushed late on but could not crack a defence that never looked stretched.
Arsenal players ratings vs Hull City November 7, 2026
Goalkeeper
David Raya – 6/10
Raya had little to do beyond two saves against rare Hull counters, securing a fourth consecutive clean sheet.
Defenders
Jurrien Timber – 6/10
Timber’s tidy footwork beat the press, but his crosses lacked a final punch.
Ezri Konsa – 8/10
Konsa built on his strong form in Saliba’s absence, winning six duels and making a pivotal second-half block.
Gabriel Magalhaes – 7/10
Gabriel dominated aerial duels and controlled the low block, bar one slip in midfield.
Riccardo Calafiori – 6/10
Calafiori offered physical presence as an inverted full-back and helped drive 71% possession, but lacked punch forward.
Midfielders
Bruno Guimarães – 6/10
Guimarães dictated tempo with 68 accurate passes from 77, though he still looked short of sharpness.
Declan Rice – 6/10
Rice produced the best first-half effort, then made way at the hour-mark.
Martin Ødegaard – 8/10
Ødegaard decided a stubborn contest, reacting quickest to the parry to break a five-man defence, and his movement injected life into attacks that had stalled.
Forwards
Noni Madueke – 8/10
Madueke, Player of the Match, created the breakthrough, cutting inside and striking venomously enough to force the parry that led to the winner.
Christos Tzolis – 5/10
Tzolis showed energy and tracked back well but made little impact before leaving in the 69th minute.
Kai Havertz – 4/10
Havertz was isolated, denied a penalty by the tight VAR offside check and hooked after 63 minutes.
Substitutes
Viktor Gyökeres – 6/10
Gyökeres offered a physical focal point but struggled for service in a crowded box.
Mikel Merino – 5/10
Merino steadied midfield control but took fewer progressive risks.
Eberechi Eze – 5/10
Eze brought unpredictability, bending one long-range strike just over the crossbar.
Piero Hincapié – 6/10
Hincapié made a bright impact, flashing a dangerous low ball across goal.
Martin Zubimendi – N/A
Zubimendi ran down the clock in a late cameo from the 89th minute.
