Arsenal match Man City’s result to maintain their advantage in win v Leeds

 

Arsenal 4 Leeds United 1    
Premier League   
Saturday 1st April 2023 3pm   

There were hopes that Liverpool might have aided Arsenal’s title chances in the lunchtime kick off before the Gunners faced Leeds, but in spite of Mo Salah putting his side ahead at Manchester City, it was not to be. Unfortunately, Jurgen Klopp’s team are a much tougher prospect at home, so next Sunday’s trip to Anfield will surely not be as easy an afternoon as Guardiola’s side ultimately enjoyed. All Arsenal could do was respond and they matched City’s 4-1 scoreline at the end of a match that was anything but a formality for the opening half. 

 

William Saliba remained unavailable, although fears about the fitness of Thomas Partey did not prevent him from starting. Jesus Gabriel was selected, although Trossard’s selection at the expense of Saka was due to what can only have been a mild illness, as the number 7 was able to make an appearance from the bench on a day when fans recalled a legendary former wearer of the shirt, the sadly departed David Rocastle. 

 

As for the game, that Aaron Ramsdale was many observers’ man of the match, tells you that the scoreline belies what was happening on the pitch. Leeds had a number of excellent chances to score, but were foiled by Arsenal’s keeper. Can Arteta’s defence afford to be as easy to negotiate when they face Liverpool? It was a far from solid display that they got away with. 

 

At least the forwards clicked, even if it took a while to get going. Jesus put a presentable header over the bar in the first half, as his team created a limited amount of danger, but foxed the Leeds defence to win a penalty that gave his side the lead after 34 minutes. Luke Ayling’s carelessly jabbed boot catching the Brazilian’s knee to win the spot kick. With Saka not yet on the pitch, Jesus himself took a Panenka which was only just high enough to go in over the Leeds’ keeper’s flailing leg. Nerves were calmed and there was no further score before half-time, although Martinelli came close when the keeper was caught off his line.

 

Things became a lot more comfortable in the first ten minutes after the interval with goals from White, set up by good play from Martinelli, and Jesus again, converting Trossard’s pass into the goalmouth. Jorginho and Saka replaced Partey and Jesus for the last half an hour – which felt sensible, although Arsenal looked to drop a gear in the absence of Partey. Leeds finally converted a chance after 75 minutes, but any fears of a comeback were foiled by Granit Xhaka’s seventh goal of the season – five of them in the league. He headed home Odegaard’s pinpoint cross. It’s a testament to the movement of Arteta’s players that so many of his squad have contributed goals this season. 

 

So it’s as you were. City keep winning and Arsenal match them – seven straight wins since that February blip that concluded with the home defeat to Guardiola’s side. After that reverse, the matches that followed until Anfield all looked winnable, and as it turned out, every one of those 21 points looks like it will be needed if Arsenal are going to buck the odds and wrestle the title away from the Lancashire for the first time since 2017 when a certain Antonio Conte was in charge at Chelsea. Were City to win their game in hand and defeat Arteta’s side at the Etihad, the gap would reduce from eight points to two. Were the Gunners to draw at Anfield, this combination of results puts things into goal difference territory. Defeat v Liverpool and it means that City’s fate is in their own hands. This assumes they beat Southampton away next Saturday, which feels a bit of a given. Yes, this league is full of surprises, but the bookies have a home win priced at around 10-1. Gooners would be made up were only a draw and City dropped two points at St Mary’s though. 

 

All the same, Arsenal should not be relying on favours from other teams while they control their own destiny. It’s obvious the match between the top two on 26th April is likely to be the one that ultimately determines the title race unless an unlikely collapse occurs for one of the two clubs in the meantime. City’s schedule until that fixture sees them play two Champions League matches against Bayern Munich. The weekend before they face Arsenal they have an FA Cup semi-final against Sheffield United and surely Guardiola will rest most of his first eleven for that one whilst the Gunners play Southampton the Friday evening before. That particular TV selection (as a consequence of Europa League elimination) is as good as it could have worked out, providing four full days before the Etihad trip. 

 

The lesson from the Leeds game is simply to tighten up. The team need to cut down the number of saves Aaron Ramsdale needs to be making, because better attacks will punish them more than Leeds. Perhaps it was a case of horses for courses, and the focus was not as high as it would have been against tougher opponents. However, points can be dropped if levels dip, so the players need to be wary of this. Perhaps the element of change did not help them. Rob Holding has done ok, but there is no issue the team is more fluid with Saliba and his pace is missed. Trossard on the right will take time to develop the same understanding that is enjoyed between the triangle of Odegaard, White and Saka, but the latter will surely start next weekend. And perhaps we might start to be seeing signs of mental fatigue. This is a young side, and for most of them, a title race is fresh territory. 

 

There was talk of ten cup finals before this match. One has been successfully negotiated and there are things that can be taken from the game and worked upon. You do feel that Saliba needs to come back sooner rather than later. I’m not singling out Holding for poor play or anything, just making the point that the team looks better with Saliba in it. And to get results at difficult away grounds… well, Holding has become unstuck before and that’s not something anybody backing Arsenal wants to see again. And on that level, it is a good feeling that the majority of neutral fans want the Gunners to deny City. It’s a nice change to have the will of other clubs’ supporters behind us. 

 

Liverpool on Easter Sunday next up then. It’s about time Arsenal had a win in the league up there. The last one was at the start for the 2012-13 season, after the club had just signed Cazorla, Podolksi and Giroud. Three points would certainly be timely this season.

 

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