Leeds vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction tonight
Leeds 1-4 Arsenal: Gabriel Martinelli hit a double, with Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe also scoring with Raphinha’s penalty the consolation for the Whites
Brazilian forward Gabriel Martinelli’s double helped Arsenal ease to a dominant 4-1 win at Leeds United in the Premier League on Saturday.
In the only Premier League game to go ahead on Saturday due to a huge rise in COVID-19 cases among players, Arsenal blew beleaguered Leeds away with a blistering first-half display.
Having shipped seven goals at Manchester City in midweek, Leeds were repeatedly carved apart in the opening period, with Martinelli’s brace putting Arsenal 2-0 up inside 28 minutes.
Frustrations were palpable all round Elland Road as Bukayo Saka added a third for Arsenal three minutes before the break, with the scoreline not at all flattering for the dominant London side.
Leeds did threaten a late comeback when Rafinha converted a penalty 15 minutes from time, but substitute Emile Smith Rowe’s late goal put the game beyond the hosts.
Arsenal’s third league success in a row consolidated fourth spot in the standings, while Leeds‘ second successive hammering left them down in 16th, five clear of the drop zone, but having played three more games than Burnley in 18th.
“I am very happy with the performance, the week that we had, and the way we are moving forward,” Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta said.
“It is always difficult to play against Leeds. They didn’t give up on the second half. I am pleased, it is not easy to play the way we did in this atmosphere. We made a real statement.”
The visitors were well on top from the start against an injury-ravaged Leeds. Home goalkeeper Illan Meslier was forced into a fine save as the hosts’ defence still looked shell-shocked after their mauling at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.
Saka should have scored from the rebound, but Arsenal did not have to wait long for the opener as Martinelli, leading the line in place of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who was again left out for a disciplinary breach, arrowed a shot into the top corner.
The Gunners continued to dominate, with Scotland full back Kieran Tierney forcing another fine save out of Meslier, before the hosts mustered their first attack as Rafinha fired wide.
Martinelli, whose Arsenal career has been plagued by injury, made it two after brilliantly latching onto Granit Xhaka’s through pass and lofting the ball over Meslier.
Saka’s goal had an element of fortune about it as a deflection took it past Meslier whose performance ensured it was only three at the break.
Arsenal’s 11 shots on target in the first half is the most in the opening 45 minutes by any side in a single Premier League match since 2003-04, when Opta started collecting such stats.
Leeds improved in the second half and deservedly got a lifeline when Ben White fouled Joe Gelhardt in the penalty area and Rafinha hammered in the spot-kick.
Without injured striker Patrick Bamford, however, Leeds lacked the firepower to complete the turnaround and Smith Rowe’s calm finish ended their faint hopes.
It was the first time Leeds have lost three successive league games under manager Marcelo Bielsa.
“There were more chances generated than the goals that they scored,” Bielsa said. “When we lost the ball in our own half, this increased the amount of chances they (Arsenal) could create.
“Always the support like the team received today is inspiring to us. It is not easy when a team has conceded 14 goals in three games. If the fans were not so supportive of me, I could understand it.”
GOAL! Leeds 0 - 2 Arsenal (Martinelli, 28’)⚽️
28 mins: Great goal from the Gunners, Martinelli has two! Forshaw loses the ball in the middle of the pitch and Xhaka carries it into the vacant space. Martinelli times his run in behind perfectly and collects the ball as Xhaka threads it into the box. Martinelli shrugs off a tackle from Drameh, takes the ball into the area and chips it over the goalkeeper to double Arsenal’s lead.
Leeds 0 - 1 Arsenal
27 mins: Chance! This is Leeds’ best effort of the half. A long ball up the pitch is brought down by Raphinha who drives towards the box outpacing Gabriel. He shimmies to the left, shifts the ball away from Ben White and then pulls his shot wide of the right-hand post!
Leeds 0 - 1 Arsenal
25 mins: Save! Granit Xhaka is given the ball into the middle of the pitch. He takes it into Leeds’ final third and slips a pass into the box for Tierney who’s made an overlapping run. Tierney recovers the ball and slices a left-footed shot towards the near post but Meslier leaps across and pushes the ball wide of the post!
Leeds 0 - 1 Arsenal
22 mins: Saka is causing trouble with his bursting runs into the box. He’s tackled this time but the ball comes out to Odegaard who shoots from just inside the box and has his effort blocked.
Leeds 0 - 1 Arsenal
19 mins: Dallas slips into his own box but manages to block a shot from Saka with the back of his head. He stays down and needs a check up from the medical staff. There are worrying looks from all involved with Leeds whenever a player stays down too long but Dallas is okay to play on.
GOAL! Leeds 0 - 1 Arsenal (Martinelli, 16’)⚽️
16 mins: Arsenal take the lead! Bukayo Saka takes the ball off Stuart Dallas on the right wing and drives it inside. He gives the ball to Alexandre Lacazette who tries to set up Martin Odegaard on the front edge of the box. Adam Forshaw intercepts the pass though but takes too long to clear the lines. Lacazette is onto him quickly and the Arsenal captain prods the ball into the box. Gabriel Martinelli is the first to react and he runs onto the ball and slots a right-footed effort past Illan Meslier to send the Gunners in front!
Leeds 0 - 0 Arsenal
15 mins: Arsenal obviously like the match-up between Martinelli and Drameh. Kieran Tierney attempts to play the winger in behind the lines but overhits his pass this time and Meslier comes out quickly to scoop up the ball.
Leeds 0 - 0 Arsenal
12 mins: Lacazette drops deep to help out with Arsenal’s defensive duties and he receives the ball. He turns and flicks it down the left wing sending Gabriel Martinelli to chase it down. He recovers the ball and brings it into the box taking on Cody Drameh. Martinelli cuts a pass back into the middle of the area where Odegaard arrives but the midfielder can’t quite reach the ball and it squirts past him allowing Leeds to clear their lines.
Leeds 0 - 0 Arsenal
9 mins: An aerial ball comes over to Leeds’ left wing. Takehiro Tomiyasu beats Jack Harrison in the air but knees the Leeds winger in the side of the leg as he jumps across. It’s a painful one for Harrison and the last thing Leeds need is another injury.
Leeds recover the ball and Harrison runs off the knock.
Leeds 0 - 0 Arsenal
6 mins: Save! Thomas Partey is denied by Meslier as well. Odegaard again sets up the chance by bringing the ball to the edge of the box. Lacazette makes a decent run to draw in the Leeds defenders allowing Odegaard to lay the ball off to the arriving Partey on the right side of the area. He drills a first time shot but Meslier covers the gap at the near post and palms it past the post!
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