Leeds United 1-4 Arsenal
It would be the easiest thing in the world to lambast the manager of Leeds United after this Premier League home humbling.
However, I am going to resist because adding to the weight on Marcelo Bielsa because he had such few options at his disposal at Elland Road, even leading managers may have struggled to prevent a rout.
In fact, Leeds’ team virtually picked itself with eight senior players missing through injury or suspension.
Jamie Shackleton, Diego Llorente and Daniel James were the latest to drop out with knocks picked up in the midweek thrashing at Manchester City, while Junior Firpo was suspended.
With German defender Robin Koch making his first appearance since the opening day of the season after recovering from a pelvic injury, it meant a first top-flight start for unknown Cody Drameh, while teenager Joe Gelhardt, and Mateusz Klich also came into the side.
Given the paucity of established players, Leeds even named a 15-year-old (Archie Gray) among their substitutes.
No wonder the SBOTOP Premier League 2021 betting odds were so firmly stacked against the Yorkshire club.
Highlights of the game
While eight senior Leeds players were unavailable, there was only one major omission for Arsenal and that was a chosen one with Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang, stripped of the captaincy in midweek following a disciplinary breach, again left out of the squad.
It didn’t matter.
The Gunners, unchanged from their midweek win over West Ham, ran rampage; their hard-working, pressing and quick-breaking proving far too clinical.
In fact, it said everything that by the fifth minute, Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier had already made his third save of the game, while Bukayo Saka fired wide of a half-empty goal.
It didn’t take too long for Saka to make amends as he surged forward and found Alexandre Lacazette, who then dispossessed Adam Forshaw and young Gabriel Martinelli hammered home the loose ball.
Meslier tipped a Kieran Tierney shot around the post and scooped up a Thomas Partey drive before Arsenal pounced on more defensive woes as Martinelli raced onto a Granit Xhaka ball before clipping the ball over Meslier.
Could it get any worse for the home side?
Well, quite frankly, yes.
First, they suffered yet another injury as Jack Harrison had to leave the fray. And then, three minutes before the break, their defence was again all over the place as Saka linked up with Lacazette before the former saw his effort deflected off a defender into the bottom corner.
The contest was well and truly over, even after Gelhardt was brought down in the box by Ben White 16 minutes from time which allowed Raphinha to hammer home a consolation penalty.
There were still more Premier League 2021 highlights to come for Arsenal six minutes from the end as Tyler Roberts lost the ball in midfield to Martin Odegaard who advanced and chipped a clever pass into the path of substitute Emile Smith Rowe who made it four.
Four for Arsenal, who can hardly be judged properly against such opposition, and a day to four-get for injury-hit Leeds who need to bounce back quickly.
Key statistics
In Martinelli (20), Saka (20) and Smith Rowe (21), Arsenal have had three different players aged 21 or younger score for them in a single Premier League game for the very first time.
Martinelli has as many goals in his last two league matches for Arsenal as he netted in his previous 24 (three).
Smith Rowe has scored in six of his last eight Premier League appearances.
Ten victories from 20 away league fixtures in 2021 is Arsenal’s best tally in a calendar year since 2015, when they won 12 times on the road.
Raphinha has scored 44% of Leeds United’s Premier League goals this season (8/18) – only Teemu Pukki for Norwich (63% – 5/8) has scored a higher ratio for a team.
Leeds United are winless in 11 matches against Arsenal in all competitions since a 3-2 Premier League victory at Highbury in May 2003 (drawn two, lost nine).
They have not scored more than once at home to the Gunners in 13 attempts since a 2-1 league win in December 1993.
The Whites have now lost three successive league games for the first time since October to November 2017 in the Championship under Thomas Christiansen.
White played in all 46 league matches of Leeds’ Championship title-winning season in 2019-20 while on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion.
What’s next?
It’s two games in a little over 48 hours now for Leeds.
They travel to Liverpool on Boxing Day before hosting Aston Villa two days later (December 28).
Arsenal host Sunderland in the League Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday night and then face Norwich City in the league on Boxing Day.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
