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A topsy-turvy Premier League season is in its final stretch with so much left to play for. Arsenal welcomed Leicester City to the Emirates on Tuesday in a fixture that was crucial to both the European football-chasing sides.
In the run-up to this match, Mikel Arteta stated that if his side were to have any chance of finishing in the top five, they would need to win every game left on their schedule. This would be a tall order for the Gunners but they looked determined to set the plan in motion against a Leicester City side who also have Champions League football on their minds.
This encounter started with both teams feeling each other out for the opening 20 minutes. Arsenal would break the deadlock with a free-flowing attack that ended in Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang tapping in his 20th league goal of the season.
The game would stay tight until a VAR decision would firmly tip the balance of power in Leicester’s favour. Eddie Nketiah’s initial yellow card tackle would be reviewed and overturned to a red card, sending the Gunners down to ten men for the final 16 minutes. The Foxes capitalised on that numerical advantage nine minutes later with a Jamie Vardy strike to end the game 1-1.
Here are 5 talking points from Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Leicester.
#5 Alexandre Lacazette starts
After scoring his first away goal of the season against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Alexandre Lacazette was rewarded with a rare start on Tuesday.
Up against a physically-dominant Leicester back-three, the Frenchman was forced to regularly come deep to receive the ball. Although his work rate and sacrifice for the team were commendable, he largely let the team down in front of goal as he missed two easy chances that a striker of his quality should have buried.
First, he had a free shot in the 18-yard box that was directed way too close to Kasper Schmeichel. He was later delivered a perfectly weighted cross by Hector Bellerín and found himself with a free header only to once again direct the ball straight into the goalkeeper’s arms.
With rumours circulating that the 29-year-old may be used in a swap deal this summer, this performance won’t do much to protect his status at the club.
#4 Brendan Rodgers' decision to change formation paid off
With injuries to James Maddison and Ben Chilwell hampering his original plans, Brendan Rodgers decided a change of shape would be the best way to compensate for the absences. He placed emphasis on providing width in attack, whilst still playing with two players up front. This decision to play three at the back, matched up with Arsenal’s 3-4-3, creating 1v1 scenarios all over the pitch.
Despite a change in shape, the Foxes' style of play didn’t deviate from their normal direct play. They still looked to win second balls and provide long balls over the top for either Jamie Vardy or Kelechi Iheanacho. Eventually, their constant pressure would result in a late equaliser, with Vardy pouncing on a loose cross.
#3 Dani Ceballos proves his worth
Gone are the days where Mikel Arteta didn’t consider Dani Ceballos good enough to start for the team. Now, the Spaniard is an integral part of not only Arsenal’s build-up, but also their all-around play. Alongside Granit Xhaka in the middle of the park, Ceballos was magnificent both on and off the ball.
His defenders knew they could always pass to him and regardless of the tight space he was in, he’d still find another teammate. His exceptional ability to be press-resistant helped relieve the pressure on Arsenal’s midfield as Leicester looked to close them down at every opportunity.
On Tuesday, the 23-year-old completed 34 passes, created 2 chances, intercepted 2 passes and completed 2 successful take-ons. No wonder there’s talk of Arsenal trying to secure the services of the Spaniard permanently.
#2 Bukayo Saka is a generational talent
Bukayo Saka has taken the Premier League by storm and has established himself as a regular in Mikel Arteta's squad. Despite having played under three different managers, the youngster has stood out as Arsenal’s top performer throughout the campaign. If that wasn’t enough, Saka has played in several different positions this season and has still managed to let his quality shine through.
In a tightly-contested first half, it was Saka’s brilliance that provided the spark Arsenal needed. Saka turned Johnny Evans inside out to provide a perfectly-weighted cross for Aubameyang’s opener. In another impressive performance, the 18-year-old created 3 chances, completed 13 passes and provided 1 assist.
#1 VAR once again takes the spotlight
Apart from Liverpool’s historic title win, VAR has been the main talking point of the 2019-20 season. Its controversial application has left many wondering whether it has actually improved refereeing decisions.
Tuesday saw another contentious use of the technology as Eddie Nketiah was sent off for what was deemed as serious foul play. This decision completely changed the game, putting Arsenal on the back foot for the remainder of the half.
The red card was deemed a farce by many fans who pointed out that Jamie Vardy was involved in a gross challenge in the first half when he effectively kicked Shkodran Mustafi in the face. This was deemed not even worthy of a yellow card, with no real review by VAR. How Nketiah’s minimal contact on James Justin is worthy of a red card is subsequently one of the major talking points from the fixture.
