Mikel Merino has saved the title bid from Toothless Arsenal with two goals in the last 10 minutes that are now stacking the pressure on Liverpool leaders.
2024/2025 Premier League
0-2
- Merino (81 ')
- Merino (87 ')
Match report
The Spanish midfielder, sent with 20 minutes to go as an improvised center, led home Ethan Nwaneri's Cross and converted colleague Sub Riccardo Calafiori's Center to close the gap at the top.
Until that crucial moment, Mikel Arteta's injury side went on the way to a draw that would have immediately transferred the initiative to the Reds of Arne Slot after their disappointing result in the Merseyside derby. Although Teenage Sensation Nwaneri had hit the woodwork twice, once in both half, the Gunners had not forced Foxes goalkeeper in a meaningful save. Arteta's lack of attacking options was shown after Kai Havertz was affiliated with the victim list when Arteta Merino threw the game for the last quarter … But the Spaniard, who was injured, himself came in his first training session with the Gunners last summer, came Trumps on.
Arsenal had the better possession early, but the first chance fell on Leicester's Wilfried Ndidi. When a cross was half deleted, the midfielder sent a volley from the edge of the box straight into the arms of David Raya.
The Ethan Nwaneri of the Gunners looked alive and only sent a seductive cross for the header of Declan Rice to bend James Justin and go wide. That was over until a Jordan Ayew error Raheem Sterling started on a run that ended with a shot that went behind Wout Faes.
Then the scattered pass from Martin Odegaard seemed to fall nicely for improvised center to Leandro Trossard, but the Belgian rated it completely wrong and the chance had disappeared.
A bad first half was selected when Ndidi had the chance to lead the home team.
Left-back Victor Kristiansen's Cross was excellent, but the Nigeria international could not even put his header on goal.
Arsenal started the second half with a little more conviction. If Rice's resignation against Sterling had been better, the man's former city-wing player would have had a clear goal.
Then Sterling was put in his tracks in his tracks replacement Woyo Coulibaly, who had arrived late in the first half for the wounded Justin.
The team forced a number of corners without having one of them count, but they came closer. Especially when Nwaneri grazed the bar with a shot from 20 meters out of the hour.
Bobby de Cordova-Reid ensured that Raya was still awake with a shot on goal, but it was a rare forward threat of the home team.
Arteta had had enough of sterling with 20 minutes to go and sent Mikel Merino in midfielder to play as a stop-gap center forward and to move Trossard to the left.
Then Leicester almost took the lead. Ayew broke and crossed to the distant pole where only Myles Lewis-Skelly's Touch held the Cordova REID to tap the ball home.
Arsenal went directly on the other side and almost scored. Again, it was Nwaneri and again he was refused by the woodwork, this time Hermansen's left -wing pole hit.
With less than a quarter of the game, Arteta had seen enough of sterling from the left and came to Merino.
With less than 10 minutes to go, the replacement has delivered.
Leicester could not be cleared. The cross of Nwaneri was beautiful, Merino's run was perfectly timed and his header was sturdy and well directed.
The fans of Away became ballistic. Leicester tried to come back, but did not look like the same before an attack broke up and Arsenal showed the ruthlessness they had missed for so long.
Calafiori ran to the left and sent a perfect cross that gave Merino the finish it earned.
The title race is very bad.
Match -Events
0 'The game is about to start!
0 'Arteta writes something down, what will it be?
9 'Shot of Trossard and offside
10 'Great salvation from Raya!
16 'Close! Rice's header over the bar
27 'Justin looks like injured
33 'Raheem Sterling eventually succeeds in staying aside, but then slips out
35 'Raheem Sterling tries to score
41 'Trossard misses the ball
46 'yellow card! Bilal El Khannouts booked
48 'Leicester City almost took the lead!
60 'Nwaneri almost scores!
69 'Raheem Sterling is being collected!
73 'crucial defense by Lewis Skelly!
81 'Mikel Merino has opened the score !!! Leicester 0-1 Arsenal
87 'Not a mistake?
87 'goal! Leicester 0-2 Arsenal (Mikel Merino)
Line-ups
Leicester XI: Jordan Ayew, Vardy, Bobby de Cordova-Reid, Ndidi, Wout Faes, Justin, Soumaré, Mads Hermansen, Okoli, Victor Kristansen, Bilal El Khannouss
Subs: vestergaard, coady, winks, mavididi, patson Daka, skipp, woyo coulibaly, jakub stolarczyk, facundo buonanotte
Arsenal XI: Trossard, Sterling, Pareny, David Raya, Ødegaard, Rice, Gabriel, Saliba, Timber, Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly
Subs: Neto, Jorginho, Zinchenko, Tierney, Merino, Ben White, Kiwior, Calafiori, N. Butler-Oyedeji
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