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.”
Leeds 0 - 0 Arsenal
3 mins: Leeds win an early corner and swing it in towards the near post. Raphinha wins the header and sends the ball over the crossbar as Ayling is brought down in the box. There’s a half shout for a penalty but nothing comes from them.
Save! Arsenal’s first attack sees Martin Odegaard play Alexandre Lacazette into the middle of the box. He’s got Illan Meslier to beat but the goalkeeper makes a sharp save and Bukayo Saka pokes the rebound wide of the near post!
Leeds 0 - 0 Arsenal
Kick off: Leeds get the match started. They knock the ball back to Illan Meslier who boots it long down the left side. Joe Gelhardt tries to win it but Ben White claims the ball for the Gunners.
Leeds vs Arsenal: Here come the teams
We’re getting a Premier League match today! The players head out onto the pitch. Alexandre Lacazette once again leads out Arsenal after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s was stripped of the captaincy earlier this week.
Luke Ayling captains Leeds. He spoke about the reception from the home fans and won’t be disappointed. They’re in full voice as the players come out of the tunnel.
Leeds vs Arsenal: White back at Elland Road
Arsenal could lose four successive Premier League away games for the first time since a club record run of seven from January to May 2018.
Ben White played in all 46 league matches of Leeds’ Championship title-winning season in 2019-20 while on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion and returns to Elland Road tonight.
Leeds vs Arsenal: Raphinha likes scoring first
Six of Raphinha’s seven league goals this season have opened the scoring in matches for Leeds but more often than not they’ve been unable to hold onto to that lead by the final whistle.
Leeds vs Arsenal: Pre-match thoughts from Marcelo Bielsa
Marcelo Bielsea says he will fight until the end of the season to turn around Leeds’ worrying form and keep them in the Premier League. He said:
Do you think there’s a coach that can’t be sacked, who is unsackable? Do you think I’m so vain that I think I can’t be sacked?
“Do you think that after suffering a 7-0 defeat I can discard the instability? Of course the job of a coach is not stable. I don’t have anything that makes me immune to that characteristic.
“Of course I’m going to continue fighting until the end of the season. I always think that in adversity you have to fight.
“I am going to fight until the end of the season without any doubts. I hope nothing happens that does not allow me to act on what I just said. I am saying, to have the necessary strength to face what may come.”
Leeds vs Arsenal: Opportunity awaits if Arsenal can master a new kind of Premier League pressure
As Emile Smith Rowe lashed a low finish into the bottom corner of the West Ham United net on Wednesday night, the Arsenal fans’ cheers were no ordinary celebrations. Mixed in would have been relief, that a narrow lead was not going to turn into an undeserved draw late on, but also excited optimism at what might lie ahead.
That 2-0 win saw the Gunners jump above the Hammers, and Manchester United, into fourth place in the Premier League table – a now extremely open fight for the much-coveted final Champions League spot.
Places one to three look wrapped up already, albeit with the order to be decided, but there’s a fascinating scrap between at least four sides shaping up for the other, plus varying levels of Europa action in 2022.
Opportunity awaits if Arsenal can master a new kind of Premier League pressure
No European football this season was a setback for the Gunners but it could turn out to be a hugely helpful boost
Leeds vs Arsenal: Smith Rowe on target
Emile Smith Rowe has scored in five of his last seven league appearances for Arsenal but starts on the bench tonight.
Leeds vs Arsenal: Solid home form for Leeds
Leeds are on a five-match unbeaten home league run with two victories and three draws. They desperately need that run to continue this evening.
However the Whites have dropped 15 points from a winning positions this season which is one of the main reasons why they’re currently 16th in the table.
Leeds vs Arsenal: Arteta on Odegaard
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says that midfielder Martin Odegaard is a complete professional and is now reaching his best form for the Gunners. He said:
“He’s very, very young but he’s already had a lot of experience in different clubs, in international football, I agree that in the last few weeks he’s getting very close to his best level.
“The ceiling for him, I don’t know where it is, with the talent that he has, the desire that he has, how much he wants to always improve and get better. We’ve got a tremendous player there.
“He is a natural leader. If you look for the perfect professional, he wouldn’t be very far from that.”
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