What to look out for when Arsenal face Leeds

Three things to look out for as Arsenal return to Premier League action against Marcelo Bielsa's Leeds United

By Adam Le Roux

It’s been two weeks since the Gunners trudged off the pitch with their tails between their legs after a humbling 3-0 defeat to Aston Villa at the Emirates, with the international break giving Mikel Arteta a chance to take stock of the season so far. 

This Sunday sees Arsenal return to action with a trip to Elland Road to face Leeds United, who have endured an up and down season since their return to the top tier.

We all know Marcelo Bielsa’s side will be full of boundless energy as always, and it is up to the boss to generate a game plan to deal with their dynamic pressing game.

Goals have been hard to come by for the Gunners so far this season, but the trip to Yorkshire could be the springboard they need to get their Premier League campaign back on track.

Trouble in camp?

Emotions will have been running high after a poor run of form for the Gunners, and that spilled over on the training pitch this week, with Dani Ceballos and David Luiz involved in a bust up at London Colney.

In many ways, it shows just how much it means to the players, with the pressure of the situation they find themselves in turning physical.

And Arteta was keen to play down the incident, claiming all was well between the pair after the confrontation. 

"Training is very competitive and issues happen a lot of times. Those things get resolved immediately within the team and there is not much to say. There is no problem at all,” the Arsenal boss said.

"I don't like the fact that that incident comes out at all. I will find out where it is coming from and if that is the case, that goes completely against what I expect from each other, the privacy and the confidentiality that we need, and there will be consequences."

A divide in the squad is the last thing the Gunners need at the moment, and Arsenal fans will be hoping the pair can put their differences behind them to get the victory they crave on Sunday.

Will airport angst effect Auba?

The international break was a mixed bag for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, with the Gabonese striker having an action-packed trip to Africa for a double-header against Gambia.

The first of those matches saw the striker score what proved to be the winner in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Franceville, before the return fixture days later.

And it was on the journey to the second match of the week that things turned for Auba, after being kept overnight at Banjul airport by immigration officials, in a situation the frontman likened to being taken hostage.

After being forced to sleep on the floor while they waited to be allowed into the country, the Panthers went down 2-1 in Monday’s fixture.

It was hardly ideal preparation for Aubameyang and his teammates, but Arteta believes it can be used as a learning experience rather than a hindrance. 

“I said to Auba, 'Take it as an experience. I'm sure for many months or years you haven't slept on the floor, take it from there and just make sure when you're in your bed, you know how good it is, how comfortable is it and how lucky you are' and that's it,” the boss said.

“You cannot change it, you cannot rewind it so take it the way it is and move on. I hope that the next time it doesn't happen and that our players have the rest that they need.”

They are wise words from the Spaniard, and Arsenal fans will be hoping the traumatic experience doesn’t have an effect on the striker’s performance this weekend.

Who will take Partey’s place?

Arteta confirmed Thomas Partey will miss the trip to Elland Road with a thigh injury earlier this week, which begs the question of who will take the Ghanaian’s place in the starting line-up.

The midfielder has produced some outstanding performances in his short time in an Arsenal shirt, including an eye-catching display in the 1-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford.

The former Atletico Madrid man picked up the knock in the early stages of the 3-0 Villa defeat, leading to his replacement at half-time, and is yet to fully recover from the setback. 

With Mohamed Elneny also missing out due to a positive COVID-19 test while on international duty, the options in the centre of the park are decidedly limited for the trip to Yorkshire.

Arteta will most likely pick the pairing of Granit Xhaka and Dani Ceballos for Sunday’s clash, with the duo’s mix of grit and energy hoping to exploit their hosts’ open game plan.

Although Partey will be unavailable this one, he is likely to return for the midweek trip to Molde, which allays any fears of a long-term problem for the 27-year-old.