In what was a throwback result from days gone by, Premier League leaders Arsenal secured a 1-0 away win at the King Power Stadium against a relegation-threatened Leicester City as Mikel Arteta’s young Gunners outfit make it six points from six after their three-match unbeaten run had many fans assuming their 2022-23 title challenge had rolled over into a tailspin.
FULL-TIME Leicester 0-1 Arsenal
Gabriel Martinelli’s goal early in the second half sends Arsenal five points clear at the top #LEIARS pic.twitter.com/IzJI8qrFSM
— Premier League (@premierleague) February 25, 2023
Despite Arsenal’s dominance on the ball in the first forty-five minutes and keeping Leicester City on zero attempted shots, it was relatively tame overall in the wake of two goals being pulled back. Arteta’s men thought they went 1-0 up after a brilliantly-struck effort from outside the box via Leandro Trossard, but the Belgian international was denied for a foul on Danny Ward just before his goal.
Leicester was denied as well after Kelechi Iheanacho was free and clear to dink his effort over Aaron Ramsdale, but his well-taken effort was pulled back for offside, and both clubs settled into more of a rhythmic back-and-forth before heading into their respective changing rooms.
But the Gunners once more came out swinging just after the half-time interval just as they did last weekend against Aston Villa, this time through Gabriel Martinelli less than two minutes after the restart, when Trossard found room down the left on the end of Gabierl Magalhães’ clearance before putting the Brazilian into a goalscoring position to slot past Ward.
FT: Leicester 0-1 Arsenal
xG: 0.02-0.64
Shots: 1-10
Shots on target: 0-2
Touches in opp. box: 14-27
Possession: 34.1%-65.9%
Corners: 0-8The Gunners get the three points. 🔝#LEIARS
— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) February 25, 2023
Both sides exchanged half-chances for the rest of the second half, though neither was able to add anything on the scoresheet before the full-time whistle. Though the scoreline will deceive and have many thinking it was a close run thing, the Gunners remained dominant from start to finish and never looked like surrendering a share of the points on day away from the capital that will see them end the weekend program still sitting top of the table.
📰 Table Of Contents
Leicester City Player Ratings
- GK: Danny Ward – 6
- RB: Timothy Castagne – 6
- CB: Harry Souttar – 6
- CB: Wout Faes – 6.5
- LB: Victor Kristiansen – 6.5
- DM: Wilfried Ndidi – 7
- CM: Dennis Praet – 6.5
- CM: Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – 7
- RW: Tetê – 6
- LW: Harvey Barnes – 6.5
- CF: Kelechi Iheanacho – 6
- Sub: Jamie Vardy – 6
- Sub: Youri Tielemans – 6
- Sub: Patson Daka – 6
- Sub: Boubakary Soumaré – 6
- Sub: Ricardo Pereira – N/A
Arsenal Player Ratings
- GK: Aaron Ramsdale – 6.5
- RB: Ben White – 7
- CB: William Saliba – 7
- CB: Gabriel Magalhães – 7
- LB: Oleksandr Zinchenko – 7.5
- CM: Jorginho – 7
- CM: Granit Xhaka – 6.5
- CAM: Martin Ødegaard – 6.5
- RW: Bukayo Saka – 7
- LW: Gabriel Martinelli – 7
- CF: Leandro Trossard – 7.5
- Sub: Eddie Nketiah – 6
- Sub: Thomas Partey – 6
- Sub: Takehiro Tomiyasu – 6
Expert Takes & Social Media
Oleksandr Zinchenko is Arsenal’s captain today 🔵🟡
It’s a ‘mark of respect and love on the first anniversary of the conflict in Ukraine’.#LEIARS #BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/rCuylqVKgR
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) February 25, 2023
Was this a clear and obvious error?
Ben White had hold of Danny Ward’s arm. VAR told Craig Pawson to go the monitor. #BBCFootball #LEIARS pic.twitter.com/nLsjAln8UR
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) February 25, 2023
Two ridiculous decisions to disallow a great goal and not give a blatant penalty.
VAR having another stormer. 🤬🤬🤬#LEIARS— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) February 25, 2023
How is that’s not given as a penalty? #LEIARS pic.twitter.com/KRnmu9xNgx
— AP 🏴🇵🇰 (@Arsenal_PAK) February 25, 2023
HT: Leicester 0-0 Arsenal
xG: 0-0.36
Shots: 0-7
Shots on target: 0-0
touches in opp. box: 8-17
Possession: 26.6%-73.4%
Corners: 0-5Not a single shot on goal. 🙃#LEIARS pic.twitter.com/nPB5OUPyyL
— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) February 25, 2023
Watching on at the King Power 👀
🏴 Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
🏴 Harvey Barnes
🏴 Bukayo Saka
🏴 Ben White
🏴 Aaron Ramsdale #BBCFootball #LEIARS pic.twitter.com/J6HYeVJvvQ— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) February 25, 2023
“All level but Arsenal seem a revelation with Trossard and Martinelli swapping those positions beautifully.”@CarrieBrownTV assesses that first half of action in Leicester!#beINPL #LEIARS 🦊🔴 pic.twitter.com/me5J047OBc
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_EN) February 25, 2023
Gabriel Martinelli fires Arsenal into the lead but stays down holding his knee after the goal.
📺: @peacock #MyPLMorning | #LEIARS pic.twitter.com/8BMcP2Jerv
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) February 25, 2023
Gabriel Martinelli has scored or assisted in all three of his PL appearances against Leicester#LEIARS
— Orbinho (@Orbinho) February 25, 2023
Xhaka done a lot of dirty work today. Been excellent at winning fouls and taking sting out of game.
— Simon Collings (@sr_collings) February 25, 2023
The Gunners know how to see a game out on the road 🔥#BBCFootball #LEIARS pic.twitter.com/ZyWcUPU0Zd
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) February 25, 2023
Full-time
Leicester 0-1 Arsenal
A big victory for Arsenal as they make it two wins on the spin. Controlled game well and made the most of the one clear chance they carved out. Good performance from Trossard as a false nine, created the winning goal for Martinelli.
— Simon Collings (@sr_collings) February 25, 2023
I hate Arsenal with all my heart but bruuhhhhhh Leandro Trossard is such a baller 😍❤️❤️ you don’t deserve him Ong .. #LEIARS pic.twitter.com/E2OakHWPZi
— 🦋 Imani 🦋 (@unbotheredaroma) February 25, 2023
