Gabriel Martinelli scored two goals for Arsenal to help them win 4-1 at home against Leeds United.
It was the only Premier League game to go ahead on Saturday (Sunday AEDT) because of a huge rise in COVID-19 cases among players. Arsenal thrashed Leeds with a blistering first-half performance. This is what happened.
Leeds lost 7-1 to Manchester City in midweek, and they were sliced open again in the first half. Martinelli scored two goals to put Arsenal 2-0 up inside 28 minutes.
Bukayo Saka scored the third goal for Arsenal three minutes before the break, making the score not look good for the dominant London side.
Rafinha scored a penalty for Leeds 15 minutes from time, but Emile Smith Rowe’s late goal put the game out of the hosts’ reach.
Arsenal’s third league win in a row kept them in fourth place in the standings. Leeds lost their second game in a row and dropped down to 16th, five points above the relegation zone, but having played three more games than Burnley in 18th.
“I am very happy with the performance, the week that we had, and the way we are moving forward,” Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta said.
“It is always difficult to play against Leeds. They didn’t give up on the second half. I am pleased, it is not easy to play the way we did in this atmosphere. We made a real statement.”
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Under manager Marcelo Bielsa, this was the first time Leeds had lost three consecutive games in the league.
“There were more chances generated than the goals that they scored,” Bielsa said. “When we lost the ball in our own half, this increased the number of chances they [Arsenal] could create.
“Always the support like the team received today is inspiring to us. It is not easy when a team has conceded 14 goals in three games. If the fans were not so supportive of me, I could understand it.”
