Leeds United and Arsenal, two of the most successful teams in English football, meet at Elland Road on Saturday afternoon. There are plenty of reasons to be excited about the game. The two teams have a rich history, and their players have won countless trophies. But how do they compare?
Leeds United
The Premier League encounter between Leeds United and Arsenal is one of the most anticipated clashes of the season. Both teams have been in impressive form this season, but the home side is in particularly good form. They are unbeaten in five games in the league and have conceded a maximum of two goals. However, they have been in poor form away from home. Arsenal, meanwhile, has won eight of their nine away games.
Arsenal has made two changes after Leeds’ first goal, and a draw would not be too unexpected. Former Leeds loanee Olaf Nketiah replaces Jesus in the 81st minute. However, Leeds is not giving up. The crowd has become fervent, and the home side has begun to make the game look even more exciting. Arsenal is looking dangerous on the counter, but the home side has so far been unable to get on the scoresheet.
Arsenal
Leeds United is causing Arsenal problems from the outset, dictating possession and looking composed. Their defense structure is tight and compact, and they have trouble finding the open goal. Leeds is pressing the Arsenal defense, and threatening on the break, though. Bamford drives at the back four, but his shot is speculative and wide.
Leeds is in dire need of a win, and their recent form is not encouraging. Jesse March’s side has won only one game in their last five matches and is close to the bottom three. The team has a poor goal difference, and the 1-0 defeat to Arsenal means they may be on the verge of relegation.
Arsenal is on a run of six consecutive wins. However, the team has not been at its best recently and has made some poor decisions. On Thursday, Arsenal rested their star players and left Mikel Arteta in London. In addition, the Gunners also rested Thomas Partey and Gabriel. Only Granit Xhaka and Gabriel Martinelli came off the bench.
Bukayo Saka
Bukayo Saka scored against Leeds on Saturday, as Rodrigo’s clunking backward aerial pass led to a beautiful finish in the top corner. Saka battled with Struijk and Odegaard to receive the return pass and clipped the ball into the top corner with a deft touch.
Saka’s goal gave Arsenal the lead in the first half. The England international had not scored in his first 10 appearances for Arsenal, but he has now scored four in four games. His attacking style has mainly focused on cutting inside onto his left foot.
The Gunners dominated possession in the first half but were undone by a VAR decision after 37 minutes of play. The first half saw Arsenal dominate possession, with Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka looking sharp in the future. Saliba, meanwhile, was solid at the back.
Ramsdale
Leeds United defender Ashley Ramsdale was superb at Elland Road as the Gunners drew 0-0. The former Sheffield United man was quick off his line when needed and was also at his best to deny William Saliba a goal. Ramsdale is a talented young player, and it was nice to see him in such a big game for Leeds.
Leeds has had a good first half and has carved out a decent opening. Arsenal begins to look more composed in possession, but Leeds is surprisingly compact behind the ball. They have a couple of chances, with Sinisterra firing wide from the edge of the box.
Ramsdale, meanwhile, has earned a reputation as a wind-up man. After a goal from Saka, Leeds fans booed the striker. When Ramsdale responded by walking towards the Leeds end, he was met with a wave of middle fingers. Ramsdale’s performance has helped cement his place in Arsenal’s team, which has led to speculation that he may be the next England No.1.
Gabriel Jesus
The second leg of the Leeds United vs. Arsenal fixture was marred by controversy. While the game was delayed due to a power cut, Leeds returned to the pitch for warm-up procedures. The officials made a decision and the game resumed. Gabriel Jesus argued with the officials that the throw-in had been moved further back. He was shown a yellow card for his part in the incident.
Gabriel Jesus, who signed for Arsenal from Manchester City in the summer, is expected to be available to play against the Leeds United side. While he did miss the side’s trip to Norway, he has been training with the team. He was photographed in Arsenal kit in Stevenage, the first stop on the direct line from London to Leeds.
Leeds United is playing well and is looking dangerous. Gabriel gets a head on the ball in the 13th minute. However, the ball is defended by Meisler. Bamford collides with Gabriel, but Gabriel appears to kick out at the defender. As a result, Leeds is awarded a penalty. Leeds has a chance to equalize in the second half, but their goalkeeper, David Ramsdale, saves it.
Power outage at Elland Road
The Premier League match between Arsenal and Leeds United is delayed due to a power outage at Elland Road. The game was delayed for 35 minutes, and after a brief interval, the match could resume. This was the first time the match was delayed by this length of time since 2022.
The match between Arsenal and Leeds United was halted during the first half after 69 seconds due to a power outage at Elland Road. The video assistant referee systems and the goal-line technology were not working, and the officials could not communicate with each other. Players were left standing around the pitch, wondering what was going on. The match resumed 20 minutes after the power cut, after which the players and officials headed down the tunnel.
Despite the power outage, Arsenal was able to get the win and stay top of the Premier League table. Despite the outage, the match officials could get out of the stadium without injury. The team’s manager, Chris Kavanagh, is still waiting to rectify the problem.
Goal by Saka
A brilliant goal by Saka against Leeds United has ended a drab game and sparked wild celebrations. Leeds made an early mistake, and Saka pounced on it, combining with Odegaard and squaring the ball to his left to finish into the top corner. The goal also marks Saka’s fifth league goal. The goal comes after a mistake by Leeds midfielder Rodrigo. After taking advantage of a miscued cross by Rodrigo, the England international thumped home his fifth league goal of the season. It was the game’s first goal for both teams and maybe the season’s highlight.
After the VAR van’s power cut, the game was suspended for a while. Luckily for the fans, the game resumed after a short break. The game began again after the restart, and Saka’s winner sealed the points. Despite the disqualification for Bamford’s handball, Saka’s strike was the difference between the sides.
Match stats
Arsenal is a tough side to play. In the first half, the Gunners looked composed and compact in possession. Leeds, meanwhile, looked compact and organized behind the ball. During one particular period, Leeds almost scored a goal after Sinisterra drove at the Arsenal defense. However, his speculative effort from outside the box was well saved by Ramsdale.
The first half ended goallessly, but both sides had their chances. Arsenal was better without the ball than Leeds, but Leeds was good too. Saka’s goal resulted from Leeds’s mishandling of the ball, but the same could be said for the second half. The Gunners were fortunate that the VAR technology rebooted, which was critical for the game’s outcome. Without the video technology, Leeds would have failed to convert the second penalty, which would have resulted in a draw.
Arsenal scored the only goal of the game, which was a goal against the run of play. The visitors were fortunate not to concede the lead, as a power cut caused a halt to play in the first half. However, Leeds’ performance did not last long. Arsenal took their first win of the season and now has the best league record since 1904.
Player ratings
This match was close for both teams, with Leeds United narrowly losing 1-0 to Arsenal at Elland Road. Although Leeds had the majority of possession, they struggled to convert that into a win, and Arsenal had a few bright moments to seal the three points. To find out who stood out and fell short in the match, read our player ratings.
Leeds dominated the first half, with many chances coming from long balls. While their defense dominated the game, there were moments of high pressure in the final third. Party won four duels, made three interceptions, and a couple of tackles. Despite not being a particularly exciting player on the ball, Xhaka was composed in midfield and made some good runs forward to support their attack. Meanwhile, Odegaard’s attacking instincts were impressive in the first half, but the midfield struggled to maintain their advantage.
Kieran Tierney should have started at left-back, but the left-back position was more advantageous for Arsenal. As a result, Arsenal looked more secure in defense.