Arsenal ran out 5-0 winners against Leeds United at the Emirates Stadium as Premier League football resumed in North London.
Jurrien Timber (2), Bukayo Saka and new striker Viktor Gyökeres (2) completed a successful afternoon for the Gunners as they improved on a dogged, but tempo-lacking display at Old Trafford.
After a positive opening, Leeds fell away as the Gunners showed their star quality.
However, it was not all plain sailing for Arsenal. Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka were substituted with concerning injuries ahead of a difficult run, including Liverpool and Manchester City.
Max Dowman made his Premier League and Gunners debut, winning a penalty that Gyökeres duly converted.
Story of the Match
The Gunners made two changes to the team that kicked off the season with a 1-0 victory over Manchester United: one enforced due to the injury of Ben White, with **Timber**replacing the former Brighton man. Noni Madueke came in for **Gabriel Martinell**i after the Brazilian’s run of sub-par displays.
The visitors recorded an impressive opening weekend victory over Everton. Daniel Farke made just the one change from that outing, with Ilia Gruev coming in for the injured Ethan Ampadu.
Arsenal were criticised for the way they began the encounter at Old Trafford, but Mikel Arteta’s side were the better of the two teams in the opening ten minutes. Ødegaard drilled a low effort past Lucas Perri’s near post, responding to calls to unleash a shot from the Clock End.
The Norwegian architect was central to the Gunners’ opening attacks, winning several fouls in the centre of the Emirates pitch.
Gyökeres, the recipient of undue criticism after his lack of an impact against United, had his first big chance of his Arsenal career when he failed to make sufficient contact with a Martin Zubimendi interception. The Swede’s miskick went behind for a goal kick.
20 minutes into the first half, Leeds had their first big chance of the match. Pascal Struijk headed an effort straight at David Raya, who acrobatically tipped an effort out of harm's way. Farke warned his side about the need to be dangerous when given an opportunity, and his side were certainly did not intend to let the Gunners dictate play.
With the intensity lacking after a positive start, the Arsenal captain looked to be struggling with a shoulder injury. However, Ødegaard continued, keen to resume play after the Gunners were hampered by injuries to White and Kai Havertz in the week, prompting the signing of Eze, who coolly sauntered onto the Emirates pitch to 60,000 welcoming cheers.
(Credit: Julian Finney/ Getty Images).
Then, the inevitable happened. Arsenal took a corner, and you know the rest. Last week it was Riccardo Calafiori, this week it was Timber. The Dutchman emerged from the crowd to glance Declan Rice’s delivery past Perri to put the hosts 1-0 up inside the 34th minute.
However, after the celebrations had concluded, Ethan Nwaneri was introduced: Ødegaard unable to continue after sustaining a blow to the shoulder earlier in the game.
The Gunners again lacked intensity as the half drew to a close, but the one spark that Arsenal created then became a flame as Bukayo Saka doubled his side’s advantage just before the break. Rice won the ball from deep before Timber turned provider, sliding in his winger, who fired a shot past Perri, with the goalkeeper unable to react to the ferocity of Saka’s effort.
As the half-time whistle sounded, Leeds had questions to answer about how they would break down the Arsenal defence. Meanwhile, the hosts had scored twice without breaking a real sweat.
Arsenal up the tempo
One question was answered at the beginning of the second half: Viktor Gyokeres will score goals. The former Sporting man latched onto the end of a Calafiori ball, cut inside from the left flank and drilled a low effort past Perri, who was resigned to the fact that the Swede’s shot was unstoppable.
(Credit: Henry Nicholls/ Getty Images).
Again, the following celebrations were met with dread. Saka hit the turf with an apparent hamstring injury and was replaced by Leandro Trossard to an ovation.
Arsenal face the daunting task of a trip to Anfield to round out September, without Ødegaard and Saka, the task of dethroning the champions becomes unenviable.
The Gunners turned the sinking feeling of losing Saka into a determination to score more goals. Timber converted from another corner to secure his brace before leaving the field. The former Ajax player was substituted for Cristhian Mosquera, who made his Arsenal debut alongside Max Dowman. The Hale End starlet became the Gunners’ second-youngest player at the age of 15.
While Leeds fell away, Dowman rose to the occasion. The 15-year-old gave Gabriel Gudmundsson no end of problems as he showcased his pace, agility and skill to drive past the Scandinavian full back. He won a penalty after Anton Stach fouled the youngster, and Gyökeres fired home from the spot to get his first Premier League brace.
From there on, the match became about Arsenal preventing Leeds from appearing on the scoresheet as Arteta's side joined rivals Tottenham at the top of the table: the difference? The Gunners have Eberechi Eze.
This award could have gone to several players, but Timber stood out for his contribution to three of the four goals. A brace of corner goals and a delightful assist for Saka’s strike gave the Gunners a platform to build on.
Considering Timber had a limited pre-season, he looks back to his best within weeks of the resumption of Premier League action.