Leeds United Clash with Arsenal: Bold Predictions, Key Battles and Starting XI Revealed
Arsenal have the opportunity to extend their Premier League advantage back to seven points when they travel to face Leeds United this Saturday afternoon.
The North London side watched their cushion reduced to merely four points following last weekend's events, as their turbulent loss to Manchester United was made worse by wins from pursuing teams Manchester City and Aston Villa. Questions arose once more regarding Mikel Arteta's team's mindset after disappointment at the Emirates Stadium due to an overly defensive strategy from the league leaders
Arsenal enjoyed the benefit of rotating their squad extensively for their midweek triumph against Kairat Almaty in the Champions League, having already secured their progression to the knockout rounds. Their 3–2 success against the underdogs ensured first place in the group stage and offered essential recovery time for crucial players.
A maiden Premier League victory since their success at Bournemouth more than three weeks prior is necessary to apply pressure on their championship competitors, who are both in action on Sunday, though Leeds will have different plans as they aim to spring a surprise.
The Yorkshire club are enjoying excellent recent form, suffering defeat in only one of their previous 11 matches across all tournaments, and have secured points against Chelsea, Liverpool (on two occasions) and Man Utd during a remarkable streak. They have progressed significantly since their 5–0 thrashing by Arsenal in August and will believe they can trouble the table-toppers considerably.
What Time Does Leeds vs. Arsenal Kick-Off?
What Time Does Leeds vs. Arsenal Kick-Off?
Leeds vs. Arsenal Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)
Leeds vs. Arsenal Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)
Current Form (All Competitions, Last Five Games)
Current Form (All Competitions, Last Five Games)
Leeds (DWWLD) | Arsenal (WLWDW) |
|---|---|
Everton 1–1 Leeds | Arsenal 3–2 Kairat |
Leeds 1–0 Fulham | Arsenal 2–3 Man Utd |
Derby 1–3 Leeds | Inter 1–3 Arsenal |
Newcastle 4–3 Leeds | Nottingham Forest 0–0 Arsenal |
Leeds 1–1 Man Utd | Chelsea 2–3 Arsenal |
How to Watch Leeds vs. Arsenal on TV
How to Watch Leeds vs. Arsenal on TV
Country | TV Channel/Live Stream |
|---|---|
United Kingdom | Not televised—audio coverage on BBC Radio 5 Live, talkSPORT |
United States | USA Network, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, UNIVERSO, UNIVERSO NOW |
Canada | DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada, Fubo Sports Network Canada |
Mexico | Max Mexico, TNT Sports, TNT Go |
Leeds Team News
Leeds Team News
Only two confirmed Leeds absentees exist for Arsenal's visit, both positioned in defensive areas. Summer acquisitions Gabriel Gudmundsson and Jaka Bijol are unavailable at wing-back and centre-back positions respectively.
Daniel James has been out of action since late November and although he has recently resumed training, the Welsh player might miss Saturday's encounter as he gradually returns to complete match readiness.
Minimal alterations are anticipated from Monday's stalemate at Everton.
Leeds Predicted Lineup vs. Arsenal
Leeds Predicted Lineup vs. Arsenal
Leeds Predicted Lineup vs. Arsenal (3-5-2): Darlow; Rodon, Bornauw, Struijk; Bogle, Ampadu, Gruev, Justin; Stach, Aaronson; Calvert-Lewin.
Arsenal Team News
Arsenal Team News
Young striker Max Dowman represents Arsenal's sole unavailable player for the Elland Road encounter, while defenders William Saliba and Jurriën Timber are fit again. Both missed the Kairat fixture due to "minor knocks" but Arteta has verified their readiness for the Leeds match.
Arteta implemented extensive changes for the Kairat victory which featured numerous opportunities for fringe players, but his strongest XI will return on Saturday. This ensures spots for David Raya, Gabriel, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka amongst several others.
Arteta faces a selection challenge in his attacking line, however, with Gabriel Jesus and Viktor Gyökerss competing for the striker role. The Swedish forward started midweek, contributing to his Arsenal goal tally with an early strike, but Jesus might well feature in Yorkshire.
Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs. Leeds
Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs. Leeds
Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs. Leeds (4-3-3): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Ødegaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Jesus, Trossard.
Leeds vs. Arsenal Score Prediction
Leeds vs. Arsenal Score Prediction
A response is anticipated from Arsenal after last weekend's disappointments and it would take courage to wager against the Gunners returning to victorious form in the Premier League.
Certainly, Leeds are enjoying strong form and have demonstrated resilience lately, particularly at Elland Road, but Arsenal's defensive solidity should limit their opponents while they possess the offensive capability to breach a backline missing two important players.
Arsenal seem unlikely to overwhelm Leeds comprehensively but they should conclude their three-game winless streak in the division.