Arsenal scored two goals in eight minutes to come from behind and get back to winning ways via a 2-1 comeback win over Daniel Farke’s stubborn Leeds.
After their 3-0 loss to Brighton before the international break, a blip threatened to become a bigger issue as Leeds not only were the better team for the best part of an hour at the Emirates – but they took the lead through James Justin’s strike 10 minutes after half-time.
It was the least Leeds deserved. David Raya made four saves to deny the Whites before the opener – and with Farke’s side holding the joint-best defensive record coming into the game, Arsenal were in trouble.
But they were given a lifeline by Leeds goalkeeper James Trafford. The England international, given a chance by Thomas Tuchel during the latest England camp, failed to keep out Riccardo Calafiori’s effort from inside the box seven minutes after Leeds’ opener.
Riccardo Calafiori wheels away after levelling for Arsenal
Mikel Arteta, perhaps unimpressed by his side’s performance so far, was unmoved on the touchline – and backed up the leveller with a triple substitution he was planning to make anyway. One of those changes was Bruno Guimaraes, who completed the comeback five minutes later.
Martin Odegaard’s ball forward was brilliantly flicked by Declan Rice into the path of the Brazilian on the edge of the box and he crashed the ball into the bottom corner.
Eventually, it rounded off a good week for Arteta, who earlier signed a new deal until 2030.
He made the brave call to play Noni Madueke at left wing over Eberechi Eze to replace the injured Christos Tzolis – and he was Arsenal’s best player and was crucial in Calafiori’s equaliser. Then the Arsenal made the super sub change for Guimaraes.
Arsenal’s Bruno Guimaraes celebrates scoring their second goal
Arsenal move level on points with leaders Manchester City at the top of the Premier League, with Enzo Maresca’s side facing Liverpool at Anfield on Super Sunday, live on Sky Sports. Leeds, meanwhile, are beaten for the first time in the Premier League this season.
More to follow…
The key moments from the Emirates…
8: CLOSE! Noah Okafor has an early sight of goal as a corner is cleared to his path but his effort is deflected just wide of the far post.
21: BIG CHANCE MISSED! Madueke does well down the left wing and hangs a cross for Havertz, whose header is straight at Trafford.
Arsenal’s Kai Havertz heads at goal
25: BLOCK! Anton Stach gets a free shot of goal unmarked at the far post but his effort inside the box is blocked by his own team-mate Bogle!
27: SAVE! A loose ball runs through to Jayden Bogle in the box but Raya comes out well to make the save.
34: CHANCE! Raya punches a Leeds free-kick clear and Ampadu’s header nearly chips the Arsenal goalkeeper, who holds the ball on the line.
52: WIDE! Justin gets the ball on the edge of the Arsenal box and curls just wide of the far corner.
53: END TO END! Raya makes his fourth save of the game, tipping Ao Tanaka’s long-range drive over the bar.
55: GOAL! Leeds make the pressure count as Gudmundsson’s cross flies across goal and Justin crashes the ball into the net at the back post.
62: GOAL! Madueke’s cross is put across the penalty area by Ben White, leaving Calafiori to tap home.
70: GOAL! Five minutes after coming on, Guimaraes slams Arsenal in front after being teed up by Rice’s flick.
83: WHAT A CHANCE! Martin Odegaard has chance to seal the points from two yards out but Rice’s cross comes off his boot and Trafford holds.
90+5: BIG MISS! Bukayo Saka breaks through on goal but puts a one-on-one wide.
Arteta: We got out of a bad mixture
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta:
“We knew it was going to be really tough, we are coming from three weeks without 16 players [because of internationals] after a heavy defeat [against Brighton] and we had all these things in the tummy.
“Today we had two objectives, one face the challenge because this is a team that hasn’t lost in the Premier League and they are in a great position because they fully deserved it. And secondly because we had a point to prove something was touched in our identity against Brighton, especially in the manner that we reacted after being in a difficult situation and context.
“And today even though we started extremely well and being really dominant we didn’t capitalise on the spaces, the situation, the overloads that we had to attack the goal and the box. So that left the game a little bit open and we knew that they don’t need much to threaten you.
“Every time they are putting the ball in the box, they are incredibly dangerous and we got into a situation with losing 1-0, at home after a defeat, 12.30pm kick-off, it is a bad mixture. And we got out of that through pinching our desire to win, to have a reaction to show the personality and courage that we have in this team.
“And once the equaliser went in, the energy changed, the finishers came in and made a huge difference again to help us to win the game and that’s what we are made of.
“And we know that it’s going to be every single week the same, because every game that I have watched in those three weeks [during the international break], it’s not going to be any different to that.”
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