Arsenal returned to winning ways against an awkward Leeds side that deservedly took the lead but couldn’t cope with a strong fightback from the home side.
Riccardo Calafiori cancelled out James Justin’s opener before Bruno Guimaraes crashed home a winner from Declan Rice’s neat flick.
Here’s what the managers, players, pundits and stattos made of the action…
Mikel Arteta on showing fighting spirit…
We conceded the goal, and then it’s: what are we made of? You’ve come from a defeat, so I pinched them a little bit about what it means to wear this shirt and how you have to react in difficult moments. The response was incredible – firstly from the players, then from the crowd. We created that energy, that belief, that conviction that we’re going to turn the game around, and then the finishers came in and made a huge difference. When you come from a heavy defeat and when emotionally you’ve been punched, that’s what we need. Regardless of the context of the game, you find a way to win it.
Source: Arsenal.com
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Daniel Farke on running Arsenal close…
It’s a bit difficult to describe the emotions. Firstly congratulations to Arsenal, it’s down to the mentality Mikel has implemented here. My emotions are a mix. I’m heartbroken and gutted for my players, they deserved to travel back with points today. To travel back without points is tough. On the other hand I’m very proud of a top away performance. First half was on a really good level, didn’t allow any chances. I told them at half-time if we keep going we’ll win this game. We fully deserved to go in the lead, went for it and wanted the second goal. But Arsenal is the most consistent team in Europe, one of the best in the world.
Source: LeedsUnited.com
Bruno Guimaraes on scoring the winner…
It feels unbelievable. I felt in the last game against Brighton we were not at the level. Today the mentality was bouncing back. This is my first official game at home. It feels unbelievable to score and it’s an important goal, three important points. Great finish and I am very happy. For me it is important to give my best and give a little bit of a headache to the manager. I’m just happy to score my first goal here, an important goal.
Source: TNT Sports
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Leeds goalscorer James Justin…
We are playing against one of the best sides in the world so they are going to have momentum and put us under pressure. We coped well through the majority of the game but, yeah, there is a reason why they are up there. Their mentality is unbelievable. What the coach has instilled in them since he has been at the club – he has been there so long now – everyone works. No matter what the score is, they are always fighting. That is what we are striving for.
Source: TNT Sports (via LeedsUnited.com)
Jurrien Timber on Bruno Guimaraes’ performance…
The way Bruno came in was amazing. He changed the energy in the crowd and everything.Everyone can see his quality – he showed it again today. Not just his character, but scoring goals as well. Amazing.
Source: Sky Sports
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Arteta on Bruno Guimaraes bouncing back from a below-par last outing…
He wasn’t at that level against Brighton and this is the level for Arsenal. Every week, every game, every minute, every action you have to be at that level. And at Brighton he wasn’t and today he was much better.
Source: Sky Sports
Arteta on reacting to the defeat at Brighton…
The last time that we put our shirts on, something was missing and we need to be very conscious of that. From being exceptional, the champions, to being extremely average like in that game is a really thin line. You want it more than the opponent, but you are not able to cope emotionally with certain situations, you’re going to suffer and we all suffered and we didn’t enjoy one bit that game. But then you have to learn the lesson and we certainly done that, we speak about it and you could sense that there was something in those tones.
Source: Sky Sports
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Bruno on the movement that led to his goal…
Mikel always tells us to never stay in the same position and always try to disorganise the other team. I think we did that very well. When Dec set the pass for me, the first thing in my mind was: ‘I can’t miss this, I can’t miss this, I have to score!’ It was a great finish, a great goal and a great moment for everyone.
Source: Arsenal.com
Arteta on starting Noni Madueke…
I’m really happy with him because he deserves the chance that he got, and he grabbed it with both hands. When I haven’t liked too much what he was doing and it was impacting the game, I made certain decisions, and he has accepted them. What he’s done is raised the level and in training he’s been the best player in the last 10 days. He gave me no option not to select him and not to play him today, and you could see that every time he was in and around the box, he looked a threat.
Source: Post-game press conference
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Ray Parlour on Arsenal getting the job done…
Arsenal found a way. That is so important that when you don’t play great, then you find a way to win. That is what they did today. It is a big win for them after going 1-0 down and looking like they could drop points again. But they found a way to win. Mikel Arteta knows he had an unbelievable squad of players. He will have a headache now for who he picks next week. Has Bruno Guimaraes fought his way into the team from the start? That is what you need, you are always testing your team-mates. When you come on you have to do the business. He did that, he got the winning goal for the team and he has done a great job for the team.
Source: PremierLeague.com
Alan Shearer’s assessment…
I thought it was all a bit slow and passive and a bit lethargic in the first half, with too many sideways passes – not enough penetration. Once Bruno came on and moved it a bit better, he scored a great goal. Declan Rice, I thought, was very good in the second half.
Source: BBC Sport
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Danny Murphy on Rice’s second half…
Declan Rice stood up when someone needed to get on the ball and make things happen, to carry possession. He had some great defensive moments as well. Last-ditch tackles, plus a couple of great headers and interceptions. He looked like he was well rested after the international break.
Source: BBC Match of the Day
Artete on whether Gyokeres will play more…
He will play games and he will have minutes, and the best way is when they enter the pitch, show how good they are. That’s it. They have done it with their national teams. Mikel [Merino] has scored two goals with the national team and the sensation is he deserves to play as well. But Martin [Odegaard] has been exceptional, and that’s the situation. The best way is when they have the chance, prove it, and then everybody’s going to be happy.