Gyokeres nets brace as Arsenal ease past Leeds | OneFootball

Arsenal kept up their perfect start to the Premier League season with a thumping 5-0 win over Leeds at the Emirates, although the afternoon was overshadowed by injuries to Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard.

Before kick-off, supporters were introduced to new arrival Eberechi Eze, and the mood around the ground was optimistic. That said, the Gunners didn’t exactly fly out of the blocks.

After last weekend’s scrappy 1-0 victory at Old Trafford, Mikel Arteta’s side again looked sluggish in the early stages. Odegaard went close with a curling effort, while David Raya had to be alert to deny Pascal Struijk’s header at the other end.

The breakthrough came in familiar fashion for the hosts: a well-worked set piece. Declan Rice whipped in a teasing corner and Jurrien Timber rose superbly to nod home, setting the tone.

But Odegaard’s 200th appearance for the club ended on a frustrating note. The captain landed awkwardly in a clash with Anton Stach, soldiered on after repeated treatment, but was eventually forced off.

On stroke of half-time, Saka made his mark, doubling the lead with a fierce strike into the top corner after being released down the right by Timber.

Viktor Gyökeres then put the game beyond Leeds just three minutes into the second period, after cutting inside and drilling low past Lucas Perri.

Yet Arsenal’s joy was tempered again when Saka pulled up sharply mid-sprint and immediately signalled he had to come off.

Even so, the goals kept flowing. Timber grabbed his second of the night with a scrappy finish after Leeds failed to clear another corner. And, in stoppage time, Gyökeres coolly converted a penalty awarded when 15-year-old Max Max Dowman was brought down by Stach to complete the rout.