livescore
Three standout players from Arsenal's comeback win over Leeds

Three standout players from Arsenal's comeback win over Leeds

Lennie Teague
Pain in the Arsenal
Lennie Teague

Arsenal marked their return to Premier League action with a 2-1 comeback win over Leeds at the Emirates Stadium.

James Justin punished a lacklustre Gunners performance to put the visitors in front in North London, but a change in approach helped the hosts fight back as Riccardo Calafiori equalised with a volley before Bruno Guimarães ended a swift team move with a fine finish from the edge of the box to win the game.

It wasn't the greatest display by Mikel Arteta's side as Leeds' impressive setup helped keep them at bay for much of the match, but there were three players that stood out for Arsenal as they battled well to overturn the deficit.

Three standout players from Arsenal's comeback win over Leeds

Bruno Guimarães

Two goals off the bench in Arsenal colours for Bruno Guimarães. He just might be the new Leandro Trossard.

It's always hard to say a substitute was one of their team's standout players, but that was certainly the case for the Brazilian as he was introduced with just 27 minutes remaining and grabbed the vital goal that sealed the three points.

Just moments after coming on, Guimarães struck from the edge of the box to complete a brilliant team move and beat James Trafford for the winning goal.

The finish wasn't his only contribution as he played 20 accurate passes, made six defensive contributions, won five duels and drew three fouls to help his side see out the win, marking another impactful substitute performance.

Declan Rice

Declan Rice's first-half performance showed the signs of fatigue that fans knew he was suffering from as he looked pretty sluggish throughout the opening 45 minutes, but he changed that after the break.

He was crucial in his side's winning goal as he collected a pass from Martin Ødegaard to play a sublime flick back for Guimarães to run on to and fire in from the edge of the box.

Rice's contributions weren't limited to the assist as he covered 11.7km with demanding runs on and off the ball, playing 63 passes, 10 into the final third, as well as helping out in defence with key tackles, clearances and interceptions.

The risks of overplaying the England international were very clear against Leeds, but it didn't stop him from rising above it and playing a crucial part in the win.

David Raya

Much of the plaudits will go to the likes of Guimarães and Rice for their involvement in the second-half turnaround, but David Raya's performance between the sticks, especially before the break, was a huge reason why the Gunners came away with three points on Saturday.

He made four saves in total, three of which came in the first 45 minutes, and his heroics kept his side in the game when they found themselves under the cosh. Raya did well to deal with a set piece that was launched into the box, but his clearance was met by Ethan Ampadu's head sending the ball looping back to the line, but he tracked back brilliantly to keep it out.

The Spaniard also made a crucial stop to deny Gabriel Gudmundsson ahead of half-time when he collected the ball at the back post to fire from a tight angle, where Raya stood firm to keep out the effort.

Raya couldn't do much about Leeds' opener, but his impact in the first-half was certainly crucial to Arsenal's triumph.

Today's best reads

Arsenal 2-1 Leeds: Player ratings as Guimarães winner spares Gunners blushes

Arsenal vs Leeds: Predicted starting 11 for Gunners' return to action

Arsenal Power Rankings: How the Gunners fared individually before the international break

3 winners and 2 losers from Arsenal's 2-1 win over Leeds

The 3 biggest position battles at Arsenal after the international break

NewsFootball NewsPremier League News
Three standout players from Arsenal's comeback win over Leeds