At the King Power Stadium, Arsenal blitzed over Leicester 0-2 in the first half. Gabriel and Smith Rowe each scored two goals in the first half as a result of their high-octane approach. In the second half, the Gunners had to prove their defensive mettle as they withstood an ambitious Leicester attack, with Ramsdale standing out at the back. Overall, Arsenal deserved all three points to move up the league table and distance themselves from the pack vying for a place in Europe.
Arsenal came into the King Power Stadium against Leicester in terrific form, having gone 8 games without a loss and dominating Aston Villa in their last league game. Arteta used the same 4-4-2 team against their European opponents, hoping to maintain their high-energy performance from the Villa encounter. Arsenal wanted to show that their win over Aston Villa was not a fluke, and they did so right away.
Aubameyang and Lacazette set the tone for their colleagues, encouraging them to press high up and pin the home players back. Saka and Lacazette combined for a scruffy effort on goal in the first minute, almost paying off for their high-octane approach. Saka floated in a right-wing inswinging corner to Gabriel, who flicked in the ball to give Arsenal the lead. On 17 minutes, they scored their second goal as a result of their pressing and movement.
Arsenal kept Leicester at bay for the rest of the half and threatened them on the break. Arsenal was never truly under siege, but Ramsdale had to be on his toes late in the half to keep his teammates safe. With a favorable distance from the penalty box, Maddison had a free-kick right through the middle. The goalkeeper flicked the ball over the crossbar and smothered the rebound. Party came to the rescue to clear the ball away as the ball continued to trickle towards the goal line.
At the King Power Stadium, their defensive efforts kept Arsenal two goals up at halftime, which they completely deserved. Leicester attempted to reclaim the game by bringing on two substitutions and attacking Arsenal. Arsenal, to their credit, remained composed under pressure and nipped ineffectively to reclaim possession. The home team was gaining ground. In the 56th minute, Odegaard came on for a tired Lacazette to arrest and keep possession, but it didn’t relieve Leicester’s pressure.
Arsenal owes a debt of gratitude to Ramsdale, who made crucial saves to preserve the score at 0-2. Despite some jitters as Leicester pressed forward, Arsenal displayed renewed defensive resolve to repel the Foxes, clearing every cross and blocking every speculative effort. To add insult to injury, Smith Rowe’s replacement, Kolasinac, made an appearance. Three points and a clean sheet were richly deserved.
