Arsenal 3 – 2 Leicester City – Match Report

After suffering last-gasp heartache last weekend, we enjoyed the spoils of a late win as injury-time strikes from Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz beat Leicester City in a six-goal thriller.

Gabriel Martinelli grabbed his first Gunners goal for six months when he netted after 19 minutes, and just before the half-time whistle he set up Trossard to double our lead as the winger atoned for his red card last weekend at Manchester City.

However within a minute of the second half starting James Justin saw a deflected header find the net, and on 63 minutes the right-back connected with a superb volley to pull his side level.

An incredible goalkeeping performance by Mads Hermansen saw him make save after save as it seemed his team would escape with a point, but Trossard managed to bundle the ball home to claim all three points before Havertz netted after a counter-attack to round off a crazy afternoon of football.

First half domination

Mikel Arteta opted to name the same 11 players that started at City six days ago, and our first-half display was the complete opposite of the second 45 at the Etihad Stadium as we penned our opponents back for the entirety.

Despite plenty of early pressure it took us 15 minutes to create a chance of note when Bukayo Saka zipped a low shot goalwards but it was comfortable for Hermansen, and a minute later Bukayo slipped in Martinelli but a poor first touch tightened the angle and he sent an effort wide.

But on 19 minutes, he made no mistake. Saka was again involved, picking out Jurrien Timber on the right who sent a low delivery into the box. It squeezed through a thicket of visiting defenders to fall into Martinelli’s path, and his scuffed effort was enough to trickle into the bottom corner and get him on the scoresheet for the first time since March, and for the third game in succession against today’s opponents.

With his confidence growing again, Gabi then drove an attempt goalwards that Hermansen pushed to safety, while Kai Havertz came close with a downward header that spun just wide of the far post with the keeper beaten, but just as it seemed we’d be protecting a one-goal lead at the break, we suddenly doubled it.

As the clock just ticked past the 45-minute mark, Martinelli crept towards into area and slid the ball into Trossard, and he simply twisted his body and redirected the pass into the net to give the visitors a mountain to climb.

Justin-credible comeback

Leicester had been lacklustre in the first half, and having won just one of their last 26 away league games in N5, the writing was seemingly on the wall, but 68 seconds after the restart they managed to get a foothold back into the game.

William Saliba brought down Jamie Vardy for a free-kick, which Facundo Buonanotte clipped into the box. Justin sent a glancing header goalwards which flicked off Havertz and deceived David Raya to hand Steve Cooper’s team a lifeline.

We began trying to restore our healthier lead and only a superb reaction save from Hermansen prevented Gabriel scoring a header from a corner, with the keeper also blocking Riccardo Calafiori’s follow-up before Timber blasted over, and then after Saka tricked his way into the area, Trossard saw a stabbed effort strike the post.

But the Foxes were a completely different side after the interval and after Bounanotte went close with a pair of shots around the hour mark, they managed to pull level with a superb strike. There seemed to be little on when Wilfried Ndidi sent a cross over everyone inside the box, but Justin latched onto it and hit a sweetly-struck volley past Raya, which kissed the post on its way into the net.

Hermansen heroics

The full-back’s goals saw him become the star of the show, but he was usurped by Hermansen thanks to an inspired display of goalkeeping that saw him single-handedly deny us with a string of superb saves throughout the second half.

Firstly, a deflected Saka shot fell kindly to Havertz who controlled it, swivelled and fired goalwards but the Dane displayed excellent reactions to thwart the German from point-blank range, and then after he was caught out playing out from the back, he rectified his error by denying Trossard who seemed destined to score.

He was proving to be unbeatable and moments after coming on Ethan Nwaneri let fly but was denied a first Premier League goal with a full-stretch save, and then he tipped over a Calafiori header as he enjoyed the game of his life.

Late delight

But in the fourth minute of stoppage time, the resistance finally broke. Saka whipped another dangerous corner into the box which found Trossard at the back post, and his side-footed effort clipped off Ndidi and snuck into the net to send the Emirates wild.

Then two minutes later, Gabriel Jesus broke through on goal and fired towards the bottom corner. Once again, Hermansen made a good stop, but Justin inadvertently poked the rebound into the path of Havertz who couldn’t miss from a couple of yards out, and after initially being ruled out for offside, VAR ensured we would end with a two-goal advantage and move level with the league leaders after six games.
 

What’s next

We return to Champions League action on Tuesday when Paris Saint-Germain come to town for our opening home game in the competition this season, and then we host Southampton the following Saturday before the October international break begins.