Leeds United will face Premier League leaders Arsenal at Elland Road on Saturday afternoon.
The Whites came unstuck in their previous meeting with the Gunners as they were comfortably beaten by Mikel Arteta’s men in their first away game of the season. Fresh from marking their return to the top flight with a narrow home win against Everton, Daniel Farke’s side were condemned to a 5-0 defeat at the Emirates Stadium by braces from Jurrien Timber and Viktor Gyokeres and a Bukayo Saka strike.
That was an early signal of Arsenal’s title credentials as they look to become Premier League champions for the first time in over two decades - but they will travel to Elland Road knowing they will face a very different Leeds side. Since losing at Manchester City on the final weekend of November, the Whites have lost just one of their following 11 games in all competitions and that solitary loss came during an impressive performance in a seven-goal thriller at Newcastle United.
Their major upturn in form has also taken Leeds six points clear of the relegation zone and they will provide a stern test for a Gunners side that are without a win in their last three league fixtures. However, the YEP’s chief football writer Graham Smyth has warned the Whites they will have to be wary of one particular threat posed by the current frontrunners and pointed to one Leeds player that must remain ‘very big, very brave and very strong’ throughout the game.
What has Graham Smyth said about Leeds United v Arsenal?
Graham Smyth talking all things Leeds United.placeholder image
Graham Smyth talking all things Leeds United. | Yorkshire Evening Post
Speaking on the Inside Elland Road podcast, the YEP’s chief football writer said: “Don't concede early, I think, is a massive key. If you concede early, I think it will be very difficult. Defending set pieces are going to be massive. Darlow is going to have to be very, very big and very, very brave and very strong because he's going to come under a huge amount of pressure. Whenever they try and turn it into a bit of a scrum, don't they?
“Where they just all bind together and try and force the defence and the goalkeeper back into the goal. You hope that the referee will be very strong on blocks and the dark arts in the area. But you look at their threats, and it's a tall order for Leeds to keep players like Eze and Saka quiet for 90 minutes. There are going to be chances for Arsenal. It's just about if Leeds can try and fashion something themselves and be really super efficient with the ball when they have it, and maybe that is putting every free kick in the box and playing for long throws and hurling it in there trying to make life difficult and ugly.”
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