Arsenal came from behind to beat Leeds United 2-1 at Emirates Stadium, a result that left Mikel Arteta’s side level on points with leaders Manchester City after five wins in six Premier League games.
Bruno Guimaraes, the £75m summer signing, changed the match after coming off the bench and scoring the winner. It was the second time in three league matches that he had rescued Arsenal, following his first goal in the 2-0 win at Sunderland in September.
The victory masked another unsettled performance. Arsenal fell behind in a league game for the third time in four matches, and they were also well below their best for long periods against Leeds. Riccardo Calafiori equalised after Arsenal trailed in the 55th minute before Guimaraes completed the comeback.
Arteta praised Guimaraes for responding after a disappointing display in the defeat by Brighton, saying the midfielder “wasn’t at that level against Brighton” and that Arsenal need that standard every week. Guimaraes has now scored twice from the bench this season, with both goals coming from outside the box.
There are also questions in attack. Arteta started Kai Havertz up front despite the forward returning early from international duty with a hamstring issue, while Viktor Gyokeres remained on the bench and is still waiting for his first Premier League start for Arsenal. Noni Madueke was given a chance on the left after Eberechi Eze’s poor form and Christos Tzolis’ hamstring problem with Greece.
At the back, Arsenal’s record is also less secure than last season. They have already conceded five goals in six league games, compared with having the best defensive record in the competition when they won the title last year. Arteta said the team must learn from what he called an “extremely average” performance, adding that there was “something missing” when they last wore their shirts.