Arsenal 'lucky' to win amid Covid surge: Arteta
Arsenal consolidated their position in the Premier League's top four with a 4-1 rout of Leeds in the only Premier League match on Saturday to survive a wave of coronavirus postponements.
Two goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka's deflected strike put the Gunners 3-0 up before half-time.
Raphinha's penalty pulled a goal back, but Emile Smith Rowe rounded off a miserable week for Leeds after their 7-0 thrashing at Manchester City on Tuesday.
"We were really lucky to play today with everything that's happening," said Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta. "I told the players to enjoy the game and give everything because I don't know how this will develop."
Arteta's own positive case back in March 2020 accelerated the Premier League's shutdown for three months at the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Six of the 10 matches in the English top-flight scheduled for weekend had been called off due to a surge in cases due to the new Omicron variant of the virus.
A meeting of the 20 Premier League clubs will take place on Monday to decide whether to go ahead with the Boxing Day fixtures next weekend or to halt the season temporarily.
Arteta has called for more consistency in the decision making over when matches are called off after the Gunners were forced to play their season-opening game against Brentford in August despite an outbreak.
"Now it's play as you can and we'll play as we can," said Arteta. "The Premier League will make the best decision for everybody, but we want to play all under the same rules.
"That's where I think they have to come forward. Whatever they decide is best for the competition has to be explained."
Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa described his side's performance at the Etihad in midweek as the worst in his four years in charge and there was no sign of any improvement from his injury-hit squad.
However, the Elland Road crowd remained behind the Argentine as they chanted his name in the closing stages.
Bielsa was without England internationals Kalvin Phillips and Patrick Bamford, captain Liam Cooper and Spain forward Rodrigo amid an injury crisis that saw 15-year-old Archie Gray earn a spot on the bench.
"The first half we could have lost it by more goals," admitted Bielsa.
Arsenal moved into the top four for the first time in more than a year with victory over West Ham on Wednesday and opened up a four-point gap on the chasing pack for a place in next season's Champions League.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was absent once more for the Gunners after being stripped of the captaincy by Arteta for a disciplinary breach.
His absence has given Martinelli the chance of a consistent run of Premier League starts for the first time since the bright start to his Arsenal career was interrupted by a series knee injury in June 2020.
The Brazilian has scored four times in his last six games as Arsenal.
Illan Meslier was helpless for the opener when Alexandre Lacazette robbed Adam Foreshaw inside the Leeds box and Martinelli slotted the loose ball into the top corner.
The 20-year-old showed his pace and poise in front of goal to double Arsenal's lead with a dink over Meslier from Granit Xhaka's pinpoint pass on 28 minutes.
Leeds had a three-goal deficit to overcome at half-time after Saka's deflected shot left Meslier wrong-footed three minutes before the break.
The hosts at least showed some spirit in the second period and pulled a goal back when Raphinha fired a penalty into the top corner after Joe Gelhardt had been brought down by Ben White 15 minutes from time.
Arsenal have blown the lead in their last two away league games at Manchester United and Everton, but there was no collapse this time.
Substitute Smith Rowe rounded off the scoring as he blasted home Martin Odegaard's precise pass.
- ·Campbell highlights Washington Declaration amid security concerns over Putin
- ·青岛港湾职院两部教材入选首批“十四五”职教国家规划教材名单
- ·着力构建槐溪社区“商住一体” 开放式街区治理共同体
- ·以打造“互联网+公共就业创业服务”为目标 创新高效推进创业担保贷款
- ·'Terminator Zero' creators find fresh life in sci
- ·履职尽责发挥优势 全面做好各项工作
- ·先行先试大胆探索 实现人与自然和谐共生
- ·我市发行近10亿元中期票据有效支持灾后恢复重建
- ·How much for Oasis tickets? Fans joke about splurging on reunion shows
- ·先行先试大胆探索 实现人与自然和谐共生
- ·“蓝精灵”法治宣讲团 开展法治进校园宣讲活动
- ·“盛装”迎国庆 市区街头飘扬“中国红”
- ·Pakistan Cricket at crossroads after shock defeat at Pindi
- ·国庆假期 中短途游成主流
- ·今日现在我们将要上市的一款饮料
- ·我市2022年就业创业政策 有奖知识竞赛圆满结束
- ·Update your BIOS: Utilities from Top Motherboard Makers
- ·着力构建槐溪社区“商住一体” 开放式街区治理共同体
- ·当大熊猫的邻居,是怎样一种体验?
- ·以打造“互联网+公共就业创业服务”为目标 创新高效推进创业担保贷款
- ·North Korea says it conducted important test to develop multiple warhead missile
- ·我市召开选派干部赴丽水顶岗总结暨赴宜宾绵阳行前动员会
- ·非法收购采伐出售 国家重点保护植物8人获刑
- ·今日现在我们将要上市的一款饮料
- ·22 Unusual Things You Can Find in the Desert
- ·倡导绿色办公 减少资源浪费