Arsenal vs. Leeds: Preview, Predictions and Lineups

Arsenal have a point to prove when they return from the international break to face Leeds United in the Premier League on Saturday.

The Gunners were humiliated in their final outing before club soccer’s hiatus as they suffered a shock 3–0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion. The bruising loss brought their perfect start to the season to a conclusion and allowed Manchester City to leapfrog them in the standings.

Mikel Arteta, who has recently penned a contract extension with Arsenal, will demand significant improvements at the Emirates Stadium in the first of six matches before the end of October. While there might be one eye on the Champions League tie with Lille next Tuesday, any complacency this weekend will be punished by an in-form Leeds side.

The Yorkshire outfit are unbeaten during their opening five Premier League matches and begin the upcoming round of fixtures in fifth place. Clearly inspired by Arsenal, defense has been key to the club’s swift start, with no team having conceded fewer than the three goals they have allowed thus far.

Arsenal vs. Leeds Score Prediction

Arsenal Return to Winning Ways

Brighton gave Arsenal a bloody nose before the international period, exactly five months on from the club’s last Premier League defeat. But, as good champions do, the Gunners should return to winning ways at the first time of asking.

Leeds will prove an awkward visitor and one capable of springing a surprise with their direct counter-attacking style, but Arsenal, especially with home advantage, should overpower them.

Even with several injury concerns ahead of the clash, Arteta can call upon a raft of superstars in every department. The Spaniard will be certain to tighten things up defensively after being outsmarted by Brighton and those solid foundations will give the likes of Bukayo Saka and Martin Ødegaard the freedom to strut their stuff.

Head-to-head record: Arsenal love this fixture. They have won the last eight meetings and scored four or more times in five of those triumphs. Leeds are without a win against the Gunners since 2003, despite having had 16 attempts to change that over the past 13 years.

Defensive acumen: Leeds may have the joint-best defensive record across the opening five matches, but Arsenal have the lowest expected goals conceded of any club.

Managerial battle: Arteta has the psychological advantage over his counterpart this weekend. He’s won all four of his past duels with Daniel Farke, with an aggregate score of 14–0 in those matches.

Prediction: Arsenal 2–0 Leeds

Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs. Leeds

Arteta will have been cursing his luck during the international period, with Ezri Konsa, Kai Havertz, Christos Tzolis and Max Dowman all withdrawing form their respective rosters early due to fitness issues.

Konsa’s dead leg is expected to heal in time for the Leeds match, where he should start alongside Gabriel. Elsewhere at center back, William Saliba remains sidelined and Cristhian Mosquera could miss out again.

Tzolis and Havertz could well be absent in the forward line, opening the door for Eberechi Eze to line up on the left wing and Viktor Gyökeres to lead the line. The latter is in strong form after scoring in all four of Sweden’s UEFA Nations League matches.

Declan Rice missed the international window with England, but he’s expected to feature in midfield alongside either Myles Lewis-Skelly or Bruno Guimarães. With Ben White still a doubt at right back, Jurriën Timber should start a second consecutive match.

Arsenal predicted lineup vs. Leeds (4-2-3-1): Raya; Timber, Konsa, Gabriel, Calafiori; Rice, Lewis-Skelly; Saka, Ødegaard, Eze; Gyökeres.

Leeds Predicted Lineup vs. Arsenal

Leeds endured just one casualty over the break, with summer recruit Jean-Mattéo Bahoya leaving France’s Under-21s prematurely after spraining his ankle. However, Farke has confirmed there’s a “chance that he is available” for the Arsenal trip.

Harry Wilson should make his comeback after returning to team training on Tuesday. He missed the chance to team up with Wales over the break due to a thigh problem. Wilson’s compatriot Dan James will be absent, however, after sustaining a back injury on international duty. He’s joined another Wales international, Joe Rodon, in the treatment room.

Farke could name an identical team to the one that drew with Crystal Palace before the break, with a forward partnership of Noah Okafor and Dominic Calvert-Lewin essential to Leeds coming away from north London with a point or more.

Leeds predicted lineup vs. Arsenal (3-5-2): Trafford; Justin, Elvedi, Muharemović; Bogle, Stach, Ampadu, Tanaka, Gudmundsson; Calvert-Lewin, Okafor.

What Time Does Arsenal vs. Leeds Kick Off?

Location: London, England

Stadium: Emirates Stadium

Date: Saturday, Oct. 10

Kickoff Time: 12:30 p.m. BST / 7:30 am. ET / 4:30 a.m. PT

Referee: Paul Tierney

VAR: Tony Harrington

How to Watch Arsenal vs. Leeds on TV, Live Stream

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