Arsenal Leave It Late To Beat Fighting Foxes
Goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard appeared to have the title-chasing Gunners on course for a routine victory at half-time in north London. The fighting spirit which City will need this Premier League season was there in abundance after the break, however, as the visitors stunned Mikel Arteta’s men to make it 2-2 in the capital. Two minutes into the second half, James Justin’s looping header had the locals worried, before a bolt from the blue – a fantastic volley from the corner of the box – restored parity. Steve Cooper’s men held firm until the fourth minute of added time, Mads Hermansen and his defence doing everything to try and cling onto a point, but it wasn’t to be at the end of a chaotic clash. Close-range finishes from Trossard, which hit Wilfred Ndidi, and then Kai Havertz ultimately sealed the points to put the Gunners level with Manchester City at the top flight’s summit. Leicester are currently 16th, six games into their Premier League return.
It’s been a start to the new season not without frustration for the Foxes. Cooper has pointed to the positives in games – there have been several, especially in this one – but points have been hard to come by. Arsenal, meanwhile, look every bit the title contenders they claim to be, unfortunate themselves not to have taken all three points away from champions Manchester City last time out. Emirates Stadium is a venue transformed by their recent exploits under Arteta’s management. As ever, the Blue Army travelled in numbers, always a vocal source of support for the 11 players on the pitch, whatever challenge awaited them. City were up against it in north London, but the same can be said for any team with Arsenal in this sort of form.
Cooper made two changes to his XI from Leicester’s last league outing, with Oliver Skipp and Facundo Buonanotte coming in for Bilal El Khannouss and Jordan Ayew. The Manager confirmed ahead of kick-off that Ayew sustained a ‘knock’ in Tuesday’s Carabao Cup penalty shootout win at Walsall and was only deemed fit enough for the bench. The first opening of the game in fact landed to Leicester. It came in the fifth minute as Jamie Vardy – a menace to Arsenal over the years – commuted it forwards. His cutting pass located Justin, bursting into the box unattended. The once-capped England full-back, though, saw his shot blocked by Riccardo Calafiori. Arteta’s hosts weren’t yet breaking through City’s defensive lines, but they were certainly dominating possession. In the 15th minute, they found some joy in the 18-yard box, but the blockade remained in place. First Bukayo Saka’s low drive was scooped up by Hermansen. Gabriel Martinelli then blazed over.
It took 20 minutes for Arsenal to take the lead as Jurriën Timber’s ball was tidily diverted goalwards by Martinelli. Only a smart point-blank stop from Hermansen at the Dane’s near post stopped Martinelli from adding another, after Declan Rice slipped him in on the left channel. Trossard’s cross for Havertz, on 37 minutes, was a problem for Caleb Okoli, but the German nodded it narrowly the wrong side of the post. Trossard, mind you, did send Arsenal in at the break two goals to the good, applying a first-time finish to Martinelli’s low delivery in added time. Scorer had turned creator and Arsenal were on course. It had been a tough half but, for the most part, City had stood tall. Cooper’s men were the ones celebrating on the other side of the interval. Buonanotte’s free-kick was lofted into the box and Justin rose highest to glance it into the near corner – with the help of a deflection off Havertz. The stakes are already high, even this early. Everybody knows what each side aspires to achieve this season and points count for no less in September than they do in May. Leicester sensed the opportunity to capitalise.
Glad to be back in the contest, work had to be done first to keep within reach. Arteta was jumping on the spot in frustration moments later. Leicester had Hermansen to thank again. He did exceptionally well to parry a close-range Gabriel Magalhães header, getting back to his feet to also thwart Calafiori. Trossard’s effort licked the post just before the hour as well, after the former Brighton man stretched everything to get a shot away. The hosts also needed to be alert at times. Buonanotte was a nuisance, weaving between those in red and arrowing wide of David Raya’s goal. A neat one-two with Stephy Mavididi, on the other hand, offered the Argentine another sight of goal, although the Gunners shot-stopper was up to the task. It all went a little haywire from that point onwards. On 63 minutes, a pinpoint Ndidi cross hung in the air – until the moment Justin crashed his boot through it and planed a brilliant volley past Raya, off the post, and into the back of the net.
The challenge now was to hold on for half an hour – or maybe even go for more. Hermansen heroics were required later on too, grasping at Havertz's spin and shot without too much time to think about it. A mix-up at the back for the Foxes, when the goalkeeper's pass didn’t arrive at Harry Winks’ feet, was the perfect chance for Arsenal to regain their lead. In a flash, Rice fed Trossard with space and time, but there was City’s No.30 in the net to make another superlative stop. The home side were throwing everything at this, buoyed by results elsewhere earlier in the day. Ethan Nwaneri curled into Hermansen’s chest. The away ‘keeper did so well later on to parry Calafiori’s header. Havertz nodded over too. The pressure would tell eventually, though. Saka’s corner, one of 17 for Arsenal, was turned in at the back post by Trossard - off Ndidi - four minutes into seven. Nine minutes past the regulation 90, Havertz’s well-struck finish was first ruled offside, but VAR intervened to give Arsenal a fourth. Not to be for City at the end of a game which will offer hope despite the result. The focus must now shift, onto next Saturday’s visit of AFC Bournemouth. Three points on Filbert Way will be a welcome tonic ahead of the international break.