Arsenal secured a 4-2 victory over Leicester City in a match that turned out to be quite unusual. Although the Gunners were ahead 2-0 at halftime and appeared on track for a comfortable win, Leicester managed to equalize with two fortunate goals. Despite facing strong resistance from Leicester’s goalkeeper in the second half, Arsenal netted two goals during stoppage time to clinch the victory.
Initially, it seemed disappointing for Arsenal to relinquish a 2-0 lead at home, but upon further reflection, it became clear that Leicester’s goals came from remarkable circumstances—a deflected shot and an extraordinary volley from James Justin. Arsenal dominated possession and created numerous scoring opportunities, amassing over four expected goals compared to Leicester’s approximately 0.25. The Gunners earned 17 corners throughout the match, highlighting their control of the game.
William Saliba stood out defensively, frequently thwarting Leicester’s Jamie Vardy, who has troubled Arsenal in the past. Gabriel Martinelli, after a long scoring drought, found the back of the net for the first time in 17 games and also assisted Leandro Trossard’s opening goal. Martinelli’s performance, alongside Trossard’s high-quality finish, showed signs of improvement despite earlier criticism of their output.
The midfield benefitted from the contributions of fullbacks Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber, who both played crucial roles in linking up with the attack. However, Thomas Partey’s performance raised concerns as he seemed fatigued after an hour, leading to an alteration in Arsenal’s effectiveness in the midfield.
Arsenal continued to create significant chances but found themselves repeatedly denied by Leicester’s goalkeeper, Mads Hermansen. Ultimately, the match’s winning goal was an own goal from Wilf Ndidi following a corner kick, with Kai Havertz adding a fourth goal just before the final whistle after being initially flagged for offside, only for VAR to confirm he was onside.
The match also brought a series of refereeing decisions into question. Some argued that Calafiori was fortunate not to receive a second yellow card for a foul, while several Leicester players escaped cautions for similar offenses. Overall, the officiating during the game was inconsistent, but Arsenal’s victory remained intact.
Mikel Arteta expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance despite the challenges they faced during the match, emphasizing their deserving win. With Arsenal set to face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League next, the importance of securing this victory was crucial, allowing them to focus on upcoming challenges without the added pressure of dropped points.