Mikel Arteta's Arsenal overcame a bright Leeds United side 1-0 on Monday evening to book their place in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
In the first half, the Championship side dominated proceedings, having 15 shots on goal. They forced Emiliano Martinez into a number of smart stops, while the away side also hit the bar. However, Reiss Nelson's second half strike was enough to help Arteta's side book their place in the next round of the competition.
This result means that the north London side have won back to back matches in all competitions for the first time since October, when they managed to beat Standard Liège and Bournemouth. Moreover, this was also the first time they were able to keep clean sheets in two consecutive matches since those clashes with Standard and the Cherries.
The Gunners went into Monday's clash full of confidence, having defeated Manchester United 2-0 in their last match. It was a hugely impressive display to earn Arteta his first win as Arsenal head coach. First half goals from Nicolas Pepe and Sokratis were enough to see them pick up all three points, but they could have further added to their lead before half time.
However, the players looked tired and were overrun in the opening 45 minutes against Leeds on Monday. Arteta was left frustrated, with his side unable to get a foothold in the game. Nonetheless, following an improved second half showing, they were eventually able to overcome their Championship opponents.
After the match, Arteta revealed his anger over his side's first half performance, saying: "I wasn't happy at all. The first 30 to 35 minutes, how we started the game, how we approached the game...I tried to convince them before the game of what to expect of that team. They battered every team in the Championship, every three days."
Arsenal now face a trip to take on Bournemouth in the next round of the FA Cup. As for the league, they travel to take on Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Source :
90min
