ARSENAL managed to retain their spot at the top of the Premier League by scraping a narrow 1-0 win over Leeds.
Mikel Arteta's side really struggled but they somehow managed to come away with all three points.
Bukayo Saka's first half strike was enough to secure a victory for the Gunners on an unconvincing afternoon.
Here's how SunSport's Emillia Hawkins rated the performance.
Aaron Ramsdale – 7
Ramsdale was the sole reason why Arsenal stole the points from today's clash.
He made some fantastic saves to keep Leeds at bay, even though he had little to do when Bamford stepped up to take the penalty.
Ben White – 4
White appeared to be one of the weaker links in Arsenal's squad this afternoon.
He was caught out of position on multiple occasions while Leeds pushed forward, meaning Saliba had to cover two positions.
It gave the likes of Luis Sinisterra and Brenden Aaronson the time and space to create a huge threat.
Most read in Football
Saka inspires Gunners to win after Gabriel has RED CARD rescinded
Giggs takes girlfriend to watch match alongside fellow Man Utd legends
Man Utd release statement after Mason Greenwood charged with attempted rape
Man Utd’s Mason Greenwood charged with attempted rape, coercive control & ABH
William Saliba – 4
Saliba has been one of Arsenal's most consistent players this season, but today's performance was far from his best.
The Frenchman made some important blocks, but he almost gifted Leeds a goal after his heavy first touch rolled into the path of Bamford. But luckily, Ramsdale was there to make a superb double save.
And to make matters worse, he gave away a penalty with a blatant handball.
Gabriel – 4
The Brazilian has experienced a dip in confidence over the past few weeks, but he put in a solid defensive performance today… until he almost gave away a penalty in the 90th minute.
Takehiro Tomiyasu – 5
The full-back did a good job considering he was only introduced to the left side of defence last week.
Thomas Partey – 5
Partey put on a solid display in midfield but sometimes struggled with the pace and high intensity of which Leeds attacked with.
Granit Xhaka – 5
Similar to Partey, he struggled at times under the pressure of the Leeds attack.
Martin Odegaard – 4
Odegaard has been superb for Arsenal this season, but he showcased an underwhelming performance against Leeds.
The midfielder was faced with high pressure from the Whites throughout which led to a number of misplaced passes and poor chances.
Bukayo Saka – 6
The young star caused a few problems for Pascal Struijk throughout the first half but had little involvement after that.
He did score the decisive goal however, and it was a fantastic strike.
Gabriel Martinelli – 5
The Brazilian had little to offer for Arsenal today, a stark contrast from his previous performances this season.
Gabriel Jesus – 5
Jesus also failed to make much of an impact for the Gunners, but, then again, he was granted little to no service in attack.
Substitutes
- Fabio Vieira (For Odegaard, 73 mins) – 6
- Kieran Tierney (For White, 76 mins) – 6
- Eddie Nketiah (For Jesus, 82 mins) – 5
- Rob Holding (For Saka, 82 mins) – 5
Source: Read Full Article