Arsenal scored twice in a dramatic stoppage-time period to beat Leicester 4-2 and move level on points with Premier League leaders Manchester City.
James Justin’s second-half double had brought Leicester back level at 2-2 from 2-0 down, but Wilfred Ndidi’s own goal (90+4) from another Arsenal corner put the Gunners back ahead before Kai Havertz settled the result on the counter (90+9), after a VAR check on the goal.
It was the Gabriel Martinelli show in north London during the first half as the Brazilian swept home Jurrien Timber’s cross (20), then set up Leandro Trossard’s slotted finish on the stroke of half-time.
Leicester had just one touch in the Arsenal penalty area during the first half and failed to register a shot on target on David Raya’s goal, but that all changed early in the second half as Justin’s header took a wicked deflection off Havertz to halve the deficit.
Arsenal then faced incredible resistance from Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen as they bid to restore their two-goal cushion, with the shot-stopper clawing out Gabriel’s header from a corner and then the close-range rebound from Riccardo Calafiori.
Trossard then struck the post from the edge of the box and those moments proved crucial as Leicester levelled in spectacular fashion. Justin met a hanging cross from the left inside the box and crashed in past the helpless David Raya via the help of the post.
James Justin and team-mate Harry Winks celebrate as Leicester came from two goals down to make it 2-2
Hermansen continued his heroics to keep Leicester level. First he saved from Havertz from point-blank range, then he clawed Trossard’s effort away from inside the box after his initial pass caused chaos for the visitors.
Arsenal brought on Raheem Sterling to try and make the difference, but it was Ethan Nwaneri who went closest out of the substitutes as his long-range drive had to be kept out by Hermansen, who was also equal to Calafiori’s bullet header from a late corner.
But after 2.37 xG-worth of second-half chances were wasted, the pressure eventually told as Trossard’s shot from Bukayo Saka’s deep corner deflected in off Ndidi and past the helpless Hermansen.
Kai Havertz seals the win for Arsenal with a fourth goal in the 99th minute
Then with Leicester pushing bodies forward, Havertz finished at the back post when Justin played the ball into his path after Gabriel Jesus’ shot was saved.
Arteta: We should never have got to that point
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta:
“It got very emotional. More emotional than we wanted certainly. But I’m very pleased with the amount of situations that we created, how we dominated the game. After 2-0, the result should have been bigger, much bigger.
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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was pleased with the character his side showed as they scored twice in stoppage time to beat Leicester City 4-2
“But this is the Premier League, this is the quality and the quality of Leicester. They scored two goals. But I’m really happy with how we dealt with that situation after. Emotionally super controlled, doing what we had to do, how consistently we attacked the spaces. I think we deserved to win the game.
In theory, with the performance we produced, you should never get to this point, but this is the beauty of football in relation to other sports. We did it with the support of our supporters who were unbelievable again.
On the importance of this game in the title race: “It’s the sixth game of the Premier League. We’re in September. We want to win every game and we’ll do our best to do that. That’s it. Let’s go game by game, and try to improve every week.
“We talk about it like we’re in September. Regardless of what we do, we are in September. We start to build the right platform for the season to be in the places and areas that we want. Obviously to do that we have to win, win, win. That’s the demands from the other teams in the league. We can only control what we do.”
Why are Arsenal now title ‘favourites’? They keep getting over the line…
Sky Sports’ Sam Blitz at the Emirates Stadium:
Arsenal have the same amount of points as Manchester City in the Premier League table but the bookmakers have the Gunners down as slight favourites over Pep Guardiola’s side.
It makes very little sense, given City have the experience and Arsenal are still going for their first Premier League title in over two decades. So what do Arsenal have that City don’t?
Mikel Arteta gestures on the touchline
The answer is clear: set-pieces. Tottenham, Man City and now Leicester – that’s three Premier League games in a row where Arsenal have scored from the same corner routine: Bukayo Saka’s delivery from the right, several Arsenal players rushing the goalkeeper and the ball in the back of the net, either planned or just finding a way in somehow.
It is another example of planned pressure Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal have. They are so well-drilled in multiple areas of the pitch.
It is not just with set-pieces – they are this efficient in open play too. Steve Cooper said they conceded two “typical Arsenal goals” in the first half having spent all week working on how to defend Arsenal’s cutbacks and crosses. “That’s how good they can be,” said Cooper after the game.
The ball keeps on going into the net for Arsenal and the points keep racking up. Arsenal are yet to lose this season despite a tricky last 10 days or so. If you can’t beat Arsenal when they’re on an off-day, when can you?
Cooper rues ‘cruel’ own goal to decide game
Leicester manager Steve Cooper:
“A really rough first half. We knew it was very possible that you have to suffer in these games in terms of possession and territory. But there was too much of that in the first half, it wasn’t the plan.
“We didn’t manage to show enough on the ball to try and get us up the pitch and get a spell. That’s really how the first half sort of played out.
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Leicester manager Steve Cooper was left heartbroken after Arsenal scored twice in stoppage time to beat his side 4-2
“The second half was, first of all, a great show of how together we are. I had a different experience here [when his Forest team lost 5-0 in October 2022] where I’ve seen a team go under, I saw the opposite of the guys today.
“We get ourselves back on even keel and who knows how it might have gone? Territory, suffering in the game, I thought we would see it through. To get a deflected goal, as good as Arsenal are at set-pieces, for us to concede a goal like that is cruel.
“We feel disappointed with the result, another game where we don’t win. I see the guys every day, I see how they work, the spirit, the engagement what we’re trying to do. The second half we showed that, and good quality. JJ [Justin’s]’s goal, although an unbelievable finish, it’s something we work on a lot. It’s not been enough in terms of getting a result.”
On what he said at half-time: “It was more about belief and encouragement. We had to show some clips. Arsenal’s two goals are really typical Arsenal goals, in terms of areas to get to in terms of crosses and cutbacks. We looked at that but that’s how good they can be.
Should Calafiori have been sent off?
Arsenal could have been given a third red card in four games when Riccardo Calafiori – already on a booking – brought down Leicester’s Facundo Buonanotte on the counter attack in the second half.
The decision left Foxes manager Cooper furious – particularly after Buonanotte was instead booked for his complaints.
“I don’t want to make the headlines around referees because I’m trying to take responsibility for a team trying to do better in the Premier League, but it’s a clear foul on Jamie Vardy for the first [Arsenal] goal and the left-back has to get sent off for a second yellow,” said Cooper.
“There’s so much more we could say. The whole game knows, but I’m not going down that road today.”
Asked about the Calafiori incident, Arsenal manager Arteta said: “I haven’t seen the action, but I got really worried because he gave the foul. I haven’t seen the replay.”
