arsenal Another big step towards claiming Premier League Glory followed a sensational 4-0 win over Leeds United at Elland Road this afternoon.
Mikel ArtetaThe side re-established a seven-point lead over Manchester City ahead of tomorrow’s clash with Tottenham Hotspur after a dominant display in Yorkshire.
First-half goals from Martin Zubimendi and an own goal from goalkeeper Karl Darlow gave the Gunners a two-goal lead at the break.
Second-half goals from Victor Chockers and Gabriel Jesus were enough to ensure the Whites took all three points and ensured a return to winning ways.
This game came largely from Arteta’s players, with many in the starting 11 putting in performances to be proud of.
Arsenal performed well against Leeds United
Declan Rice is a key part of Arsenal’s success in 2025/26 and the midfielder once again put in an incredible performance against Daniel Farke’s side.
The Englishman created three chances during the victory – the most of any player on the pitch – while also achieving an 82% passing accuracy at Elland Road.
He also dominated without the ball in the heart of midfield and subsequently made two tackles while leading 100% of the aerial battles he took part in.
Rice was not the only one to impress for Yorkshire, with centre-back Gabriel once again providing a reliable option at the back and playing a key role in securing another clean sheet.
The Brazilian made an impressive 10 clearances and made 2 tackles in total, and the defender once again proved his worth at the heart of the Gunners’ defence.
He also impressed with the ball at his feet, subsequently completing 80% of his passes, including four into the final third.
Arsenal players to drop after Leeds United
Overall, it was another memorable afternoon for Arsenal and Arteta, with some of their ongoing issues rearing their ugly head again at Elland Road.
The manager has been working hard to establish his best attacking line-up in the final third, but the situation became even more problematic when Bukayo Saka picked up an injury in the warm-up before kick-off.
Noni Maduk was named as the Englishman’s replacement, but he did manage to register an assist, which showed he is capable of filling in when needed.
As mentioned before, on-fire striker Gio Kreis did score a necessary goal in the Premier League, which could take some of the pressure off his shoulders.
However, the same cannot be said for attacking midfielders Kai HavertzThis afternoon he made his first start against Farke’s side.
The German has struggled with injuries this season and judging from his performance earlier today, his lack of playing time was certainly evident.
The 26-year-old played just over an hour before being replaced by captain Martin Odegaard, with Arteta making the right decision to withdraw him from the game.
Havertz failed to register a single shot on target in his hourlong performance, while also completing a paltry four passes – with an accuracy of just 50%.
He won just one of the four aerial battles he played in Yorkshire, then picked up a foul during the game as he looked a little off the pace.
|
Kai Havertz – Statistics against Leeds United |
|
|---|---|
|
Statistics |
consistent |
|
Minutes played |
61 |
|
touch |
19 |
|
Pass completed |
4 |
|
Pass accuracy |
50% |
|
shoot |
0 |
|
aerials win |
1 |
|
foul |
1 |
|
Long ball completed |
0 |
|
Statistics passed fiery thug |
|
The former Chelsea star was limited to one touch of the ball inside the opposition penalty area, but failed to complete any long passes – further confirming his lack of ball control.
To make matters worse, Havertz only touched the ball 19 times, while the goalkeeper David Raya There are more registrations – as evidenced by his record of 25.
Havertz received a modest reward for his performance this afternoon. 6/10 Match Rating By Tom Canton, London Football Journalist – further demonstrating his lack of influence.
Arteta had no choice but to return the German to the bench after such a performance, and his lack of action was undoubtedly a factor in his struggles.
Given the nature of the current title race, the Gunners will need every player to be at their best in every game, but unfortunately, the German’s performance fell below the expected standard.
Overall, however, it was arguably one of the club’s best performances of the season and could see the club finally end its title drought at the end of May.







