Leeds United welcome Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal to Elland Road this weekend looking to derail the Gunners’ title ambitions while boosting our survival hopes.
United’s aim to move further clear of the bottom three this weekend presents a significant test in the form of the title favourites.
Arsenal make their way to West Yorkshire off the back of securing top spot in the Champions League’s league phase, needing to bounce back from defeat to Man United last weekend.
How can Leeds United hurt Arsenal at Elland Road on Saturday?
It’s looking a tall order for Leeds to get anything this weekend. You’d absolutely take a point pre-match, but a lot has changed since that 5-0 beating we were handed at the Emirates.
The Gunners are still top of the league and likely to win the league based on their performances. But, three games without victory heightens their need to get back on track.
Mikel Arteta is preparing his Arsenal side for a visit to Leeds United. (Action Images via Reuters/Matthew Childs)
Mikel Arteta’s side have registered a fairly uninspiring 1.17 open play xG form those three winless games. Of course, Arsenal’s attacking threat extends beyond their ability to carve chances out in open play – they’re obviously menaces from set pieces.
For Leeds, capitalising set pieces is once again an important facet of our own game though. How we manage to breach the rear guard of Gabriel, William Saliba, David Raya and others remains to be seen.
It could be a cagey game, even with Arsenal expected to get back to winning ways. Set pieces could well be the deciding factor, as has been the case so often for the Gunners.
During Arteta’s pre-match press conference, it was put to Arteta that only his own side and Chelsea have scored more from dead balls this season.
The visiting manager had this to say on how to stop that looming threat from Leeds.
“Well, first of all, understanding what they do,” Arteta explained, per Football.London.
Conceding very little, that’s the best way for sure. And if we do concede, it’s just to defend with your lives and good organisation to try to prevent that happening.”
Can Leeds United sneak a shock result against title-hopefuls Arsenal?
I’m not confident that we’re actually going to get anything from this game. That being said, we should be optimistic we can make life difficult for Arsenal and maybe get something.
This three-game winless run for Arsenal includes a goalless draw away at Nottingham Forest. It’s proof that a side like us can frustrate the league leaders.
Our ability in the air is going to be put under real scrutiny in both boxes. However, if we manage to come out on top in that regard, we’ve got a real chance.
Read more: Leeds United handed massive Jorgen Strand Larsen boost.
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