Following Carabao Cup success, Arsenal traveled to Turf Moor to face Burnley with one goal: securing a fifth consecutive Premier League win and cementing their lead at the top of the table. Despite the quick turnaround, Mikel Arteta opted for a strong line-up to combat Burnley's aggressive style under Scott Parker. The focus was on translating recent momentum into sustained league form, especially away from home against tough opposition.
Mikel Arteta: "When you travel to Turf Moor, you know exactly what you will face. It demands maximum concentration, control, and efficiency. We must match their intensity, but our job is to execute our plan, utilize our quality, and ensure the clean sheet mentality is non-negotiable from the first whistle."
The match began with an even tempo, but it wasn't long before Arsenal's quality—and their prowess from dead balls—told.
The deadlock was broken in the 13th minute via a trademark Gunners set-piece. Declan Rice delivered a dangerous in-swinging corner to the back post, where Gabriel steered the ball into the path of Viktor Gyökeres. The striker headed home from close range for his first Premier League goal from open play this season, giving Arsenal the crucial early advantage.
Arsenal's attack continued to flow, creating several major chances. Bukayo Saka was twice denied by excellent saves from Burnley keeper Martin Dúbravka, and Leandro Trossard had a follow-up effort cleared off the line.
The pressure proved too much, and the Gunners grabbed their second goal in the 34th minute. A lightning-quick counter-attack began when Gabriel Magalhaes cleared a long throw. Saka flicked a header on to Gyökeres, who produced a superb cross-field ball to find Trossard in space. The Belgian expertly picked out Declan Rice inside the area, who powered his header beyond Dúbravka, doubling the lead just before the break.
Burnley emerged from the tunnel with renewed aggression, improving dramatically in the second half and forcing Arsenal to defend deeper. The visitors showed resilience, holding off several Clarets attacks, including a glorious chance that saw Florentino's header crash off the crossbar, and a late free-kick from sub Marcus Edwards that also hit the post. Despite the courageous effort from the hosts, Arsenal's defense held firm to see out the 2-0 victory, securing their seventh consecutive clean sheet.
Mikel Arteta praised his side’s clinical first-half performance and the resilience shown under pressure in the second.
Mikel Arteta: "We saw two sides of our team today: the clinical, dominant side in the first half where we took our set-piece and counter-attack goals very well, and the resilient side in the second. These three points, secured with a clean sheet, show the mental fortitude we have built. It was a deserved win."
Declan Rice: "The most important thing is the win, and achieving our seventh consecutive clean sheet. It shows we've got that unity and togetherness in the squad, especially when the other team starts putting us under pressure in the second half. That's what you need to keep winning."
The Man of the Match award goes to Declan Rice. Not only did he score the crucial second goal with an expertly placed header to finish a stunning counter-attack, but his delivery from set-pieces directly led to the opener. His commanding presence in midfield was vital in shielding the defense and guiding the team to their seventh straight shutout.
The Gunners now turn their attention back to European action, traveling to Slavia Prague for their fourth UEFA Champions League group stage fixture on Tuesday, November 4.