Daniel James
Daniel James(Image: Alfie Cosgrove/News Images/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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Daniel James says Leeds United will travel to Arsenal with the belief they can get a result and keep their unbeaten run going.
Leeds are one of five teams to have not yet lost a Premier League game, the Gunners being another. Last season, United slumped to a 5-0 defeat at the Emirates Stadium in their first away game of a campaign that saw Arsenal become champions.
A lot has changed at Leeds since then, most notably the formation as well as some personnel. James played 66 minutes in last year’s meeting but is unlikely to start this time around amidst the evolution of Leeds.
The Welshman - who played three games for his country over the international break, before being benched in the most-recent 1-0 defeat to Denmark - has made a mark off the bench in the last two league games, though.
“We have set a really high standard and it is about progressing now in these next five games before the next internationals and setting ourselves goals because we really want to push on,” James told LUTV.
“We have got tough games coming up but we really believe in ourselves that we can go into every game and perform. I think last season we didn’t quite get a good start. We finished really well but we didn’t quite start well.
Pascal Struijk can't quite block Bukayo Saka's fierce effort
Pascal Struijk can't quite block Bukayo Saka's fierce effort(Image: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
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“Obviously, from December onwards we were absolutely brilliant. But it was really that first start of the season that stopped us from getting any higher in the table.
“We have got to keep on that. There are always going to be times where, you know, we don’t win a game but we have to reflect and believe going into every game that we are going to get something out of it.”
Arsenal were, arguably, the only team last season against whom Leeds failed to give a game, the Whites losing across both fixtures by an aggregate score of 9-0.
However, Leeds beat and drew with Chelsea and Manchester United while two draws were recorded against Liverpool. That has given the squad confidence that they can jostle against the best, with the quality of the team since bolstered over the summer.
James added: “A team like Arsenal, who have done so well over previous years, we haven’t had great results against them but that is something that we want to challenge ourselves to [change].
“They are a great team. It is going to be a really, really tough game but we all know that as players, it is up to us to go and perform on the day.
“The belief is definitely there. In this league, anyone can beat anyone on the day and that is up to us.
"We know what we have to perform to our max. We can’t be any less than that. If we are performing at that level then there is always a chance.”
Dominic Calvert-Lewin is back in his best form
Dominic Calvert-Lewin is back in his best form(Stu Forster/Getty Images)