Arsenal Bounce Back To Beat City
Returning to action after a busy international break, Claude Puel started the game with a 3-5-2 stratagem against the Gunners, deploying a back line of Jonny Evans, Harry Maguire and Daniel Amartey.
In the absence of the suspended Wes Morgan, Kasper Schmeichel skippered the Foxes in the capital, but it was opposition stopper Bernd Leno who was the busier of the two goalkeepers in the first half.
After seeing an attempt deflect wide off Arsenal defender Rob Holding inside the opening two minutes, Kelechi Iheanacho was denied by Leno four minutes later as City burst out of the blocks.
Puel’s men then had a penalty shout turned down after Holding – booked for an initial challenge on James Maddison – handled the ball in the area. However, Leicester’s claims were waved away and Holding remained on the pitch.
England international Harry Maguire was next to test Leno, as his header nearly found the bottom corner, before Schmeichel held Shkodran Mustafi’s tame effort at the other end.
City capitalised on their early pressure soon after, though, as Ben Chilwell, having signed a new long-term deal over the weekend, saw his cross deflect off Héctor Bellerín and into the back of the net.
Schmeichel then tipped Granit Xhaka’s free-kick over the bar, before parrying Alex Iwobi’s effort out of play. The visitors looked to have weathered Arsenal’s attack, but on the stroke of half-time, their back line was breached.
A flowing move resulted in Bellerín – making amends for his own goal – setting up playmaker Mesut Özil, who side-footed in off the base of the post to haul his side level heading into the interval.
Buoyed by their leveller, Arsenal were much improved after break as Henrikh Mkhitaryan twice threatened, but couldn’t hit the target.
Meanwhile, City were attempting to restore their lead and came just inches away from doing so, as Wilfred Ndidi hammered the crossbar with a powerful header on 58 minutes.
A frantic period followed, as the game turned in Arsenal’s favour. Emerging from the bench, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice in the space of four minutes to put his side 3-1 up with just over 20 minutes to play.
Puel introduced Shinji Okazaki and Rachid Ghezzal to add to City’s attack, but they couldn’t break down Arsenal’s defiant back line in the closing stages.
Major moment
With the scores level at 1-1 in the second period, Leicester continued to muster up goalscoring opportunities in an attempt to regain the lead against the Gunners.
On 58 minutes, James Maddison produced a brilliant corner to find Nigerian midfield enforcer Wilfred Ndidi, who sent a header crashing onto the crossbar.
With that chance slipping by, Arsenal took control of the game and struck twice in quick succession through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to ultimately seal the points.
Who impressed?
An ever-present for Leicester City in the Premier League this season, Wilfred Ndidi could once again be relied on in the centre of midfield.
Coming up against a wealth of talent in the Arsenal line-up, the 21-year-old put in another assured display in England’s top flight.
He proved to be a threat from set plays, too, as he struck Bernd Leno’s bar early on in the second half.
Where do we stand?
After a ninth fixture of the 2018/19 Premier League campaign, Leicester City now sit 11th in the table, having amassed 12 points in total.
Coming up…
Two games in the space of four days follow for the Foxes, who first face West Ham United at King Power Stadium in Saturday’s evening kick-off, before a home tie with Southampton on Tuesday in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.