LEICESTER -
WHAT HAPPENED
We delivered a magnificent performance on Sunday to beat Leicester City and register our fifth Premier League win on the bounce.
With confidence high and knowing the victory would take us back into the top four, we came roaring out of the blocks during a lightning-fast start to the game.
Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka, so influential last time out against Watford, tore at the heart of the Foxes backline and with Martin Odegaard pulling the strings, an opening goal looked a matter of time.
When it arrived, it came from February’s Player of the Month, Thomas Partey, who rose highest to head in a corner at the near post to spark jubilant celebrations.
The Ghanaian is enjoying the best period of his Arsenal career so far of late, and came close to adding a second moments later with a brilliant curling effort, only to see it hit the stanchion.
But Leicester began to grow into the game, and Aaron Ramsdale had to be alert to deny Harvey Barnes – and before the half was out, our goalkeeper made an even better save to palm away the Foxes forward’s powerful header.
We upped the tempo again after the restart as we looked to reassert our earlier dominance and one superb sweeping move upfield soon had the crowd in their feet in appreciation.
We kept on coming, and Ben White’s powerful header was soon brilliantly saved by Kasper Schmeichel, before Thomas Partey’s follow-up was cleared off the line.
But VAR had spotted a potential handball by Caglar Soyuncu in the melee – and after a lengthy check the penalty was awarded to huge roars from the Emirates crowd.
Alex Lacazette stepped up to the spot, and made no mistake with a brilliant strike high into the roof of the net for his first goal since Boxing Day.
Granit Xhaka went close towards the end with an arrowed drive that flew over, before Emile Smith Rowe saw a close-range effort saved by Schmeichel.
The final whistle was greeted with a vociferous roar from the N5 faithful, as we brought up another big three points in the hunt for a top-four place.
WHAT IT MEANS
WHAT’S NEXT
The big games keep on coming for us as we welcome Liverpool to N5 on Wednesday night, before we hit the road to take on Aston Villa in the lunchtime kick off on Saturday.
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