Facing what was one other essential showdown on Saturday afternoon, Arsenal picked up a 1-0 victory away at Leicester because the Gunners maintained their two-point buffer on the high of the Premier League desk.
Putting in one other skilled show outdoors of north London, it was Gabriel Martinelli who proved to be the match-winner because the 21-year-old produced a wise ending seconds after the half-time break.
While Mikel Arteta’s aspect might need been left annoyed halfway by way of the first-half as Leandro Trossard’s surprise purpose was dominated out for an alleged foul on Danny Ward, Arsenal as soon as once more underlined their title credentials.
Extending their keep on the high of the Premier League desk and not likely having to get out of second gear for giant spells, the Gunners additionally piled extra strain onto an inconsistent Leicester squad.
With the Foxes laying to supply a single shot on the right track, Saturday’s hosts are nonetheless firmly trying over their shoulder at a possible relegation scrap.
In a showdown between two sides battling it out at reverse ends of the desk, we now have taken a take a look at the principle speaking factors from the King Power.
Another hurdle that Arsenal climb over
Although Arsenal might need opened February by accumulating only a single level from their first three Premier League matchups, the Gunners have managed to show that was nothing greater than a short wobble.
Finding what was an important 4-2 victory away at Aston Villa final weekend, Arteta was calling on his aspect to place in a much more skilled show on Saturday afternoon.
Still holding a two-point buffer over defending champions Manchester City and within the midst of what has change into a well-known marketing campaign on the Emirates, Arteta’s kids would have been glad to breeze previous a possible banana pores and skin right here.
Recording their first Premier League clear sheets since their 2-0 victory away at bitter rivals Tottenham on January fifteenth, the English heavyweights have additionally been handed what has been a largely favorable fixture checklist over the approaching weeks.
Welcoming Everton to north London in midweek and seeking to declare some instant revenge on the relegation scrappers, Arsenal may even be excited to get their Europa League knockout stage journey underway subsequent month.
Martinelli is refinding his kind at an important time
While Martinelli might need marked his return from the World Cup’s winter break with one other eye-catching Premier League flurry, the 21-year-old did open February within the midst of what had been an prolonged rut.
However, though Arsenal’s homegrown celebrity might need been enduring an eight-match run and not using a strike earlier than getting on the scoresheet within the Gunners’ 4-2 victory away at Aston Villa final weekend, it seems that Martinelli has refound his greatest kind at an important time.
While it might need been England ace Bakayo Saka who has obtained probably the most reward in Arsenal’s shock title cost this season, Arteta has been fast to state that Martinelli has an important position to play over the approaching months.
Producing an exquisite slotted end simply moments after coming back from the half-time break, the Brazilian worldwide actually did impress on his return to Arteta’s beginning XI right here.
Now nothing 9 Premier League strikes this season and having fun with what has change into his brightest run in north London, Martinelli has now bagged back-to-back top-flight strikes for the primary time since opening 2023.
Leicester nonetheless looking for stability
While Leicester might need opened February within the midst of what had change into an attention-grabbing Premier League flurry, the Foxes have largely come crashing again all the way down to earth over the previous week.
Although Brendan Rodgers’ aspect might need gained a string of reward following their stellar 4-1 romp towards Champions League contenders Tottenham on February eleventh, the one-time Liverpool boss nonetheless finds his aspect trying over their shoulder on the drop zone.
Blown away at Old Trafford final week as they have been hit with a 3-0 drumming by the hands of Manchester United, Leicester as soon as once more failed to put down any sort of blow right here.
Now struggling back-to-back Premier League defeats, the previous top-flight champions now maintain only a three-point buffer from slipping into the relegation zone and there might as soon as once more be some rising strain on Rodgers’ shoulders.
Failing to create a single shot on the right track on the King Power and with attacking talisman James Maddison lacking out right here, it’s honest to say that Leicester are nonetheless looking for some much-needed stability in 2023.
Match Report
Leicester: Ward, Castagne, Souttar, Faes, Kristiansen, Praet, Ndidi, Dewsbury-Hall, Tete, Iheanacho, Barnes
Subs: Daka, Pereira, Soumare, Tielemans, Vardy
Arsenal: Ramsdale, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Xhaka, Jorginho, Odegaardm Saka, Trossard, Martinelli
Subs: Partey, Nketiah, Tomiyasu
Goals: Martinelli (46′)
Yellow Cards: Martinelli
Red Cards: N/A
Referee: Craig Pawson
Discussion about this post