Match ends, Arsenal 4, Leeds United 2.
ArsenalArsenal4LeedsLeeds United2
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored a superb hat-trick as Arsenal ended their three-game winless run with victory over Leeds United at Emirates Stadium.
Aubameyang opened the scoring in the 14th minute before doubling his side's advantage from the spot towards the end of the first half.
Right-back Hector Bellerin grabbed a third on the stroke of half-time, with Aubameyang completing his hat-trick with a header moments after the restart.
But from 4-0 down Leeds grabbed two second-half goals through Pascal Struijk and substitute Helder Costa to give Arsenal a late scare.
Aubameyang punishes sloppy Leeds
Making his first start in almost a month, Arsenal skipper Aubameyang proved just how valuable he is to the north London club.
Since he was last named in a starting XI, the Gunners had gone out of the FA Cup and taken four points from four games in the league.
Right from the off he looked lively, cutting in from the left and finding the bottom corner with a cultured finish in the opening quarter.
And he was denied a second moments later when Leeds defender Luke Ayling superbly blocked his shot after good work from David Luiz.
VAR intervention led to referee Stuart Atwell overturning an Arsenal penalty after Bukayo Saka was brought down by Liam Cooper in the 35th minute.
But the 19-year-old won another spot-kick minutes later, being tripped by Leeds keeper Illan Meslier after the stopper was unable to clear a routine backpass.
Aubameyang made no mistake from 12 yards - sending Meslier the wrong way - before Bellerin caught out the Frenchman at his near post to net Arsenal's third.
Arsenal started the second half just as they finished the first, with Gabon international Aubameyang heading home Emile Smith Rowe's cross to net his second ever Arsenal hat-trick - his first since the Gunners beat Valencia 4-2 in the Europa League in May 2019.
And he nearly had a fourth in the 73rd minute, curling the ball against the crossbar following a well-worked counter-attack.
More to follow.
How to play
Rate players out of 10 throughout or after the game. The rater will close 30 minutes after the final whistle.
Rating range key = Give it up = Pure perfection
Arsenal
Starting XI
Avg
Squad number1Player nameLenoAverage rating6.45
Squad number2Player nameBellerínAverage rating6.68
Squad number23Player nameDavid LuizAverage rating6.04
- Squad number6Player nameGabriel MagalhãesAverage rating
6.44
- Squad number17Player nameCédric SoaresAverage rating
6.32
- Squad number8Player nameDani CeballosAverage rating
6.54
Squad number34Player nameXhakaAverage rating6.45
- Squad number7Player nameSakaAverage rating
7.74
- Squad number11Player nameØdegaardAverage rating
6.82
- Squad number32Player nameSmith RoweAverage rating
7.14
Squad number14Player nameAubameyangAverage rating8.03
Substitutes
Avg
- Squad number12Player nameWillianAverage rating
4.04
Squad number16Player nameHoldingAverage rating5.60
Squad number25Player nameMohamed ElnenyAverage rating5.58
Leeds United
Starting XI
Avg
- Squad number1Player nameMeslierAverage rating
3.71
- Squad number46Player nameShackletonAverage rating
5.06
- Squad number2Player nameAylingAverage rating
5.17
- Squad number6Player nameCooperAverage rating
5.16
- Squad number10Player nameAlioskiAverage rating
4.64
- Squad number21Player nameStruijkAverage rating
5.65
- Squad number18Player nameRaphinhaAverage rating
5.87
- Squad number15Player nameDallasAverage rating
5.49
- Squad number43Player nameKlichAverage rating
5.01
- Squad number22Player nameHarrisonAverage rating
5.12
- Squad number9Player nameBamfordAverage rating
5.64
Substitutes
Avg
- Squad number11Player nameRobertsAverage rating
5.78
- Squad number17Player nameHélder CostaAverage rating
5.85
- Squad number52Player nameHugginsAverage rating
5.93
Line-ups
Arsenal
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Leno
- 2Bellerín
- 23David Luiz
- 6Gabriel
- 17Cédric Soares
- 8CeballosSubstituted forHoldingat 89'minutes
- 34Xhaka
- 7Saka
- 11ØdegaardSubstituted forElnenyat 78'minutes
- 32Smith RoweSubstituted forWillianat 62'minutes
- 14Aubameyang
Substitutes
- 9Lacazette
- 12Willian
- 16Holding
- 19Pépé
- 21Chambers
- 22Marí
- 25Elneny
- 33Ryan
- 35Martinelli
Leeds
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 1Meslier
- 46Shackleton
- 2Ayling
- 6Cooper
- 10AlioskiSubstituted forHugginsat 53'minutes
- 21StruijkBooked at 70mins
- 18Raphinha
- 15DallasBooked at 90mins
- 43KlichSubstituted forRobertsat 45'minutes
- 22HarrisonSubstituted forHélder Costaat 45'minutes
- 9Bamford
Substitutes
- 11Roberts
- 13Casilla
- 17Hélder Costa
- 19Hernández
- 24Davis
- 30Gelhardt
- 35Cresswell
- 47Jenkins
- 52Huggins
- Referee:
- Stuart Attwell
Match Stats
Home TeamArsenalAway TeamLeeds
- Possession
- Home46%
- Away54%
- Shots
- Home13
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away5
- Corners
- Home4
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home8
- Away17
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Arsenal 4, Leeds United 2.
Booking
Stuart Dallas (Leeds United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Stuart Dallas (Leeds United).
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Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Corner, Leeds United. Conceded by Cédric Soares.
Substitution
Substitution, Arsenal. Rob Holding replaces Dani Ceballos.
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Foul by Patrick Bamford (Leeds United).
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Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt saved. Cédric Soares (Arsenal) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner.
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Offside, Arsenal. Willian tries a through ball, but Bukayo Saka is caught offside.
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Luke Ayling (Leeds United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal).
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Foul by Tyler Roberts (Leeds United).
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Granit Xhaka (Arsenal) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Substitution
Substitution, Arsenal. Mohamed Elneny replaces Martin Ødegaard.
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Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Liam Cooper.
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Attempt blocked. Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Héctor Bellerín.
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Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal) hits the right post with a right footed shot from the centre of the box. Assisted by Granit Xhaka.
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Luke Ayling (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Comments
Join the conversation
Shame we went off the boil and conceded 2. Still we got a well needed 3 points. Onwards and upwards
Fair play to Leeds. Great 2nd goal- proper football
At 3.0 you are well on the back foot.
Survival is the main aim but poor performance at the start.
Kamikaze defence strikes again
Had a Arsenal player made that tackle, good chance he would have seen red.
It’s the way it goes
Hey spurts stop pooping your pants, we coming regardless