Leeds United 1-4 Arsenal: Martinelli at the double as Gunners run riot at Elland Road

In
the
only
Premier
League
game
to
take
place
on
Saturday
after
a
raft
of
coronavirus-enforced
postponements,
Arsenal
ended
a
run
of
three
successive
away
league
defeats
in
style
as
Leeds
suffered
another
hammering
following
a
7-0
thrashing
at
Manchester
City.

They
were
helped
by
a
dismal
first-half
display
from
Leeds,
who
allowed
11
shots
on
target
–
the
most
by
any
side
in
the
opening
45
minutes
of
a
match
since
Opta
records
began
in
2003-04.

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FIXTURES

Martinelli’s
brace
and
Bukayo
Saka’s
strike
punished
some
woeful
defending,
and
although
Raphinha’s
penalty
reduced
the
arrears,
substitute
Emile
Smith
Rowe
added
insult
to
injury
late
on.

Saka
drilled
wide
of
an
open
goal
and
llan
Meslier
came
to
Leeds’ rescue
in
an
early
Arsenal
onslaught,
yet
the
goalkeeper
could
do
little
to
prevent
Martinelli
deservedly
putting
the
Gunners
ahead
after
pouncing
on
Adam
Forshaw’s
error.

Raphinha
dragged
wide
at
the
culmination
of
a
wonderful
run
and
Leeds
were
swiftly
made
to
pay
–
Martinelli
racing
onto
Granit
Xhaka’s
pass
and
lifting
a
neat
finish
over
Meslier
to
make
it
2-0.

Meslier
made
another
fine
stop
from
Alexandre
Lacazette,
but
it
was
3-0
by
the
break
when
Saka’s
effort
deflected
in
off
Mateusz
Klich.

Xhaka
went
in
late
on
Raphinha
after
the
restart,
and
was
fortunate
to
escape
a
booking,
especially
when
Joe
Gelhardt
was
carded
for
a
similar
foul
on
Takehiro
Tomiyasu.

Saka
went
close
to
doubling
his
tally
as
Arsenal
kept
Leeds
at
arm’s
length,
yet
a
reckless
lunge
from
Ben
White
on
Gelhardt
handed
the
hosts
a
lifeline.

Raphinha
sent
his
penalty
into
the
top-right
corner,
yet
any
comeback
hopes
were
dashed
when
Smith
Rowe
finished
first-time
from
Martin
Odegaard’s
superb
pass.

What
does
it
mean?
The
kids
are
alright

Arsenal’s
goal
this
season
is
Champions
League
qualification,
and
they
are
right
in
the
mix.
Indeed,
with
so
many
other
games
cancelled
this
weekend,
they
are
assured
of
being
four
points
clear
of
fifth
place
at
Christmas.

They
remain
a
work
in
process
under
Arteta,
though
there
is
no
doubt
he
is
changing
the
make-up
of
his
squad
–
indeed,
14
of
Arsenal’s
27
league
goals
this
season
have
been
scored
by
players
aged
21
or
under.

Magnificent
Martinelli
brings
up
Gunners
milestone

Martinelli
was
afforded
the
freedom
of
Elland
Road
at
times
in
the
first
half
and
he
duly
made
Leeds
pay,
scoring
his
first
Premier
League
double
in
his
39th
top-flight
appearance,
while
he
has
netted
as
many
goals
in
his
last
two
league
matches
for
Arsenal
as
he
had
in
his
previous
24
beforehand
(three).

His
opener
was
also
Arsenal’s
7,000th
top-flight
goal,
with
the
Gunners
becoming
only
the
third
English
side
to
reach
that
total
since
the
Football
League
began
in
1888,
after
Everton
(7,139)
and
Liverpool
(7,069).

Bielsa
losing
his
spark?

Leeds
had
to
name
a
bench
of
nine
players
all
aged
21
or
under,
meanwhile,
with
their
injury
issues
really
hitting
hard.
That
being
said,
11
goals
conceded
over
two
games
is
a
more
than
worrying
trend,
and
Marcelo
Bielsa’s
side
need
players
back,
and
reinforcements
in
January,
if
they
are
to
avoid
a
relegation
scrap.

The
Argentine
will
still
carry
favour
with
the
fans,
but
Leeds
have
already
lost
eight
games
and
sit
16th,
while
they
are
hugely
reliant
on
Raphinha,
who
has
scored
eight
of
their
18
league
goals
this
term
(44
per
cent).
Only
Teemu
Pukki
for
Norwich
(63
per
cent
–
5/8)
has
scored
a
higher
ratio
for
a
side
in
this
season’s
competition.

What’s
next?

Doubt
remains
over
whether
the
season
will
continue
or
be
paused,
but
as
it
stands
Arsenal
are
set
to
face
Norwich
City,
while
Leeds
face
a
daunting
trip
to
Anfield.