Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal were sensational from the jump in a 5-0 Premier League win over Leeds United on Saturday, but the damper is in the details of their three points won at the Emirates Stadium.
Already down Kai Havertz for an undisclosed period of time, the Gunners watched Martin Odegaard suffer a shoulder injury and give the captain’s arm band to Bukayo Saka only to see Saka’s time in charge short-lived thanks to an injury of his own.
MORE — Arsenal vs Leeds recap, video highlights
By the time the whistle had blown on Arsenal’s win, they had one more goal than attackers hurt over the past six days.
Arteta will be glowing about the performance, though, as the Gunners bounced back from a weak showing in a 1-0 win at Manchester United to throughly dominate newly-promoted Leeds.
What did Arteta have to say after the match?
Mikel Arteta reaction to Arsenal rout of Leeds, injuries to Saka and Odegaard
What to take from the performance? “A lot. A really positive atmosphere to start at home. You could sense the energy and we went up another level. Five goals and a clean sheet is a really good start.”
Game opened up after first goal: “Teams are really well-organized in the league and it’s not easy to get through them. We could score from various ways. Really happy for Viktor to score his first two goals. Jurrien to score two after all he’s went through and all the work of our medical staff. And Max at 15 years old, you could sense [the excitement].”
The stadium livened up more when Max Dowman entered: “It’s in how he reacts and how his teammates feel about him. We changed the energy in the stadium by bringing him in, and he wins a penalty. Incredible.”
Have you seen anything like Dowman at age 15? “Ethan was a bit younger when he made his debut. Incredible. That’s credit to the families, the way these kids have been raised because they are not overwhelmed by the occasion.”
Gyokeres 1v1 goal was example of his strength: “He’s so powerful. He’s so determined in those action. The moment he has space and can attack people, you’re dead.”
Did you know Eze feedback would be so loud? “You could feel it in the last 24 hours, that something was happening. We signed a player who has a massive impact in the league. Welcome to the family.”
Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka injury updates; “Martin looked like a shoulder. We’ll have a scan tomorrow so we’ll see. Bukayo had to come off when he was sprinting with a defender, he felt a hamstring, a different one [than last season]. We’ll have to speak to the doctors. We lost Kai, which is a massive player and now Bukayo and Martin, that’s why the squad has to be big.”
