Arsenal vs Leeds Utd: Clash of the Titans
Arsenal host Leeds United in a clash that was once a premium Premier League fixture. Can Bielsa’s side cause an upset at the Emirates? Have a read of our preview here:
A win at last
It has been a torrid time for the Gunners over the last couple of seasons, none more so than the beginning of this campaign.
Beating Manchester United will have been a massive boost for Mikel Arteta and his men with the clean sheet the most pleasing thing about the result. The Gunners defence has been absurdly bad this season, conceding 30 goals in just 21 matches so far.
It also marked the first time the Gunners had beaten a team in the top-half of the Premier League table which, after more than half the campaign, is damning itself.
Arteta did finally get a tune out of Nicolas Pepe who was excellent against the Red Devils and added his fifth goal of the season in the 2-0 win. It may not have been totally convincing, but it does give their new manager a much-needed win.
One positive this Arsenal side can take from a disappointing campaign is their effectiveness from corners. They have scored eight goals from such situations which is two more than any other top-flight outfit.
They will need to build on this and the FA Cup, a competition that they have been historically strong in and one which they can realistically look at winning this season, is the perfect opportunity.
Could this be the year?
It is hard to believe that Leeds have not played in the Premier League since 2004! Just ridiculous for a club with such rich traditions and so well supported. This could be their year (how many times have you heard that before?) with them currently topping the Championship table with a healthy nine-point gap on third place Brentford.
It would be fitting to see Bielsa lead this team back to the top-flight. The Argentine has been superb since arriving and made the Whites incredibly exciting to watch.
They are also defensively resilient, having only conceded 21 goals over the course of the current campaign. That is better than all but one side (Brentford) in the division.
They will certainly feel they can get something against Arsenal and it should be an exciting clash between to former heavyweights.
Arsenal v Leeds United betting tip
There is no doubt that Leeds should not be underestimated in this one despite Arsenal’s recent victory so we are backing both teams to score at odds of 7/10 with bet365.
