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Arsenal dug deep to secure a 1-0 win against Leicester City at the King Power Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday, February 25.
The Foxes entered the game on the back of a mixed run of form. They have won three, lost one, and drawn one of their last five across competitions. They were outclassed in a 3-0 defeat by Manchester United in their last league outing as Brendan Rodgers' men were 14th in the table prior to kickoff.
The Gunners, on the other hand, brought their title charge back on track after winning just one point from a possible nine prior to that. They came back from 2-1 down to defeat Aston Villa 4-2 to restore their lead at the top. Mikel Arteta fielded a strong lineup for this game as they looked to maintain their lead.
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Arsenal made a dominant start to the game as they controlled possession and hence also the tempo of the game. They kept a whopping 74% possession in the first period, preventing Leicester from getting into any sort of rhythm to get the home crowd going. The Gunners attempted six shots but failed to hit the target.
Leandro Trossard appeared to have scored with a wonderful strike midway through the period. However, it was disallowed as Benjamin White impeded goalkeeper Danny Ward by holding his arm in a brilliant call by the officials. Kelechi Iheanacho then appeared to have put Leicester ahead but had his goal chalked out for offside.
After a one-sided first half, Arsenal had much to think about as they were unable to convert their chances.
The Gunners made a sharp start to the second half and grabbed the lead inside the first minute following the restart. Trossard did well to keep the ball in play near the touchline, before picking out Martinelli with a peach of a pass. The Brazilian slotted the ball past Danny Ward but was caught by Wilfred Ndidi in the build-up and stayed down for a few minutes.
Both managers then made changes as they looked to take control of the game with fresher legs. There were several instances of both Arsenal and Leicester players going down with injuries towards the end of the game which killed the intensity. However, Arsenal held on to secure the win.
On that note, here are the five talking points from the game.
#5. Arsenal had nothing to show for their first half domination
The Gunners made a dominant start to the game as they looked to grab an early lead to ease nerves following a tense game against Villa last time around. They completed a staggering 378 passes in the first period, preventing Leicester from settling into their rhythm. Having won their last four games at the King Power Stadium, Arsenal were eager to make it five in a row.
Besides Trossard's goal, the visitors did not hit the target even once despite firing six efforts goalwards. The hosts, on the other hand, failed to register a single shot in the first half as Iheanacho's effort was chalked off for offside.
#4. Leandro Trossard worked wonders through the middle
Edward Nketiah was left with the task of stepping into the starting XI in place of the injured Gabriel Jesus. The Brazilian was ruled out after a knock during the World Cup in November last year. Nketiah has done well so far, having scored nine goals across competitions so far.
Arsenal's board added some much-needed depth in January, as they onboarded Trossard from Brighton & Hove Albion. After appearing in a few games as a substitute, the Belgian was handed just his second Premier League start for the Gunners. Despite having a goal ruled out in the first period, he kept his head down and performed well, assisting Martinelli in the second period.
#3. Leicester City offered nothing in attack
Other than Iheanacho's lucky break to go on and score a goal that was eventually ruled out, the hosts did not have much in the tank going forward. Star midfielder James Maddison's late exclusion was a big blow for the Foxes, who usually rely on his creativity to break down rigid defenses. Maddison also offers danger from close-range set-pieces.
Iheanacho, Tete, and Harvey Barnes struggled to find space behind Arsenal's organized back four and were effectively nullified. They failed to even attempt a legal shot on goal until midway through the second period.
#2. Arsenal faced a massive injury scare with Martinelli
After having his goal canceled in the first period, Trossard showed great composure on the left touchline before playing Martinelli through on goal with a perfectly-weighted pass. Although the Brazilian did well to keep his footing and score to make it 1-0, he was caught on his knee unintentionally by Wilfred Ndidi, who was tracking back to defend.
Martinelli immediately went down clutching his knee, putting any Gunners celebrations to an abrupt end as his teammates surrounded him with concern. However, he was back on his feet and looked fine after a few minutes of receiving treatment.
#1. Bukayo Saka has played 65 consecutive PL games
In an incredible turnaround after a disappointing end to his and England's run at Euro 2020, Saka has risen to new heights over the last several months. He has scored 10 goals and assisted eight in 31 appearances across competitions, with 17 of those contributions coming in the Premier League.
In a show of incredible consistency, today's game was Saka's 65th consecutive appearance in the league for the Gunners (as a starter or a substitute). David De Gea is the player closest to him with 62 consecutive appearances. What makes this feat even more incredible is the fact that Saka is an outfielder.
