Arsenal maintained their 100 percent start to the new Premier League season as they hammered Leeds United 4-0 in a game that saw Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard suffer injuries.
The Gunners, who presented new signing Eberechi Eze to the fans at Emirates Stadium ahead of kick-off, were unconvincing in their 1-0 win at Manchester United last week.
It took them a while to get going in their first home game of the new season. However, they were in cruise control after Jurrien Timber gave them a 34th-minute lead, which was doubled by Saka on the stroke of half-time after captain Odegaard was forced off.
Viktor Gyokeres marked his home debut with a goal to put the game beyond doubt before Saka then pulled up and came off in worrying scenes for Arsenal fans ahead of next week’s trip to Anfield to face reigning champions Liverpool.
But Timber provided Arsenal with more reason to celebrate when he doubled his tally, with Gyokeres providing the finishing touch from the penalty spot in stoppage time as Leeds fell back down to earth with a bump following the high of their 1-0 win over Everton on Monday.
Arsenal v Leeds United
Arsenal found opportunities hard to come by in the early going, Odegaard firing narrowly wide before Pascal Struijk saw a header well saved by David Raya at the other end.
But Timber broke the deadlock in a fashion typical of Arsenal under Mikel Arteta in recent seasons, the defender converting Declan Rice’s fine delivery from a corner with an excellent header.
Odegaard’s 200th appearance for the club ended on a sour note thereafter. The Norwegian had fallen awkwardly in a challenge with Anton Stach early in the first half and twice received treatment before admitting defeat after the third visit from the medical staff.
He was replaced by Ethan Nwaneri, with Saka taking the armband and then making it 2-0 when he lashed into the top-left corner having been played down the right channel by Timber.
Gyokeres effectively ended the game as contest when he cut in from the left and powered beyond a helpless Lucas Perri and into the bottom-right corner, yet there was more injury concern for Arsenal after Saka pulled up at the end of a sprint and immediately signalled that he needed to be removed from the action.
Saka’s exit did not slow the Arsenal momentum, however, and the impressive Timber added gloss to the scoreline by prodding home in the 56th minute after another corner caused chaos in the Leeds box.
Gyokeres secured a brace of his own with almost the final kick of the game from 12 yards after 15-year-old Max Dowman was adjudged to have been fouled by Stach.
Arsenal will now wait to learn the severity of the injuries to Saka and Odegaard, which could make the arrival of Eze all the more important ahead of a mouthwatering encounter with Liverpool.
