ARSENAL thumped Leicester and transfer target Youri Tielemans 4-2 on an entertaining afternoon at the Emirates.
Gabriel Jesus was the star of the show as he netted a brilliant first half brace with Granit Xhaka and Gabriel Martinelli also chipping in with goals.
And delighted Gunners fans were heard chanting: “Youri Tielemans, we’ll see you next week!”
However, the latest reports on the Gunners’ pursuit of the Belgian are more pessimistic.
It is claimed that Arsenal are running out of time to sign Tielemans as Leicester are looking to consolidate their own squad.
Meanwhile there are reports that Mikel Arteta’s former club Man City are looking to sign Kieran Tierney.
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IN: Marquinhos, Fabio Vieira, Matt Turner, Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko
OUT: Alexandre Lacazette (released), Nuno Tavares (loan to Marseille)
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Tierney deal off the table…
More good news for Arsenal fans, as Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Kieran Tierney to Manchester City is no longer being considered as the Cityzens have confirmed Sergio Gomez as the new left back.
Manchester City new left back will be Sergio Gómez as revealed earlier this week. No talks now on for Tierney, Renan Lodi or others 🚨🔵 #MCFC
Guardiola confirms: “The moment we decide for Sergio Gómez to join the first team, the debate for another left-back was over”, told MEN.
Fabrizio Romano
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Gabby should have had three?
Don’t get it twisted, Gabriel Jesus put in a simply exceptional performance in his first PL start for Arsenal at The Emirates.
But the Brazilian hit man could have easily had a hat-trick, as he fluffed a chance with his left foot that you would expect a player of his calibre to finish off.
Nevertheless, he can be forgiven, as the stats below show just how exceptional he was…
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Gabriel Jesus reacts
Arsenal star Gabriel Jesus stood out with a brace against Leicester and insists he always works hard in training to score the goals for his new team.
Jesus told Premier League Productions: “I am so happy because we played so good against a tough opponent.
“I work all day every day to score goals.
“I was not unhappy at Manchester City, I just wanted to play and the club understood”
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Arteta reacts to Jesus brace
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta claims Gabriel Jesus is “disappointed” after his brace because he wanted to score four goals.
Arteta said: “Really happy. A good football match from both sides. Overall delighted because we got the result we want.
“We know what Gabi [Jesus] can do. He scored two and got two assists and is still disappointed because he thinks he should have scored four. You need that mentality to go to the top.
Mikel Arteta was proud of Gabriel Jesus’ performance today.Credit: Reuters -
Jesus the saviour.
Gabriel Jesus has been remarkable in both of his Premier League appearances for Arsenal this season, since his move from Manchester City this summer.
Jesus took just 23 minutes to get his Premier League tally off the mark and doubled that shortly after against Leicester today in their 4-2 win.
But the goals were just one small part of an astonishing display of dynamism, guile and pure dribbling joy.
He terrorised the Foxes defence all day, making runs in behind and coming short, a guessing game of cat and mouse.
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Underdogs for the league?
Arsenal have started this Premier League campaign in stunning form, with a 2-0 win at Selhurst Park, followed up by a 4-2 home win at the Emirates.
This start sees them two from two, and second place in the table, only behind league leaders Manchester City…
Much has been made Mikel Arteta’s side in the past few years, but they seem to have finally got it right, could they be underdogs to win the Premier League?
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“We’ll see you next week”
Arsenal fans were chanting “Youri Tielemans, we’ll see you next week!” at the Leicester midfielder during their 4-2 win over the Foxes.
Tielemans has been linked with The Gunners for a long time now, and seems to always be linked with a move to a top six club in every transfer window.
The Belgian is an illustrious ball player in the middle of the park, and while he doesn’t score all that often, it always seems to be a belter when he does.
For many, he could be the missing piece to Arsenal’s puzzle, as Xhaka to many is the weak point in a team that is being crafted to take The Gunners back to the pinnacle of English football.
Arsenal fans think a move could be on the cards for Youri Tielemans of Leicester.Credit: Getty -
Full time – Arsenal 4-2 Leicester.
It is full time at The Emirates Stadium, and Arsenal fans are happy again after a convincing performance against a struggling Leicester side.
The visitors didn’t make it easy for Arteta’s side, as they came within a goal of a comeback twice, but the wondrous Jesus ensured there was no Leicester resurrection.
The Brazilian was excellent today, and picked up two goals and two assists for his efforts, which will richly reward many Dream Team managers
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Goal! Martinelli! Arsenal 4-2 Leicester.
Just like that, they have extended their lead!
Martinelli has put Arsenal back into daylight, and that makes it two goals and two assists for Gabriel Jesus too.
Arsenal look really dangerous coming forwards, and that attack is really exciting for any Gunners out there.
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Goal! Maddison! Arsenal 3-2 Leicester.
Leicester could be back in this here, as they have pulled it back to 3-2, courtesy of James Maddison.
A low drive from the English attacking midfielder sneaks past Aaron Ramsdale into the corner.
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HT: Arsenal 2-0 Leicester
The teams have headed for the shade of the changing rooms with Arteta’s side two goals to the good.
Both goals coming from Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus.
Leicester will need to find some inspiration for a second-half performance akin to Brentford at the King Power Stadium last weekend.
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Goal – Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal)
Arsenal 2-0 Leicester
The Gunners take a 2-0 lead as their marquee signing gets off to the perfect start at The Emirates.
Jesus will be looking to bag another for his hat-trick now.
Credit: PA -
Goal – Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal)
Arsenal 1-0 Leicester
The Gunners take the lead in the 23rd minute thanks to their Brazilian striker, making Gilberto Silva seem quite the pundit with his prediction.
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‘Invisible Wall’ makes Leicester claim
Gilberto Silva has made the claim that both Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli will both be on the scoresheet today.
Taking to his Twitter, the Brazilian singled out his two compatriots to score both Arsenal goals as he predicted a 2-1 win for The Gunners.
Mikel Arteta may well take that result right now as it would leave Arsenal with a 100% Premier League record after the opening two games.
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Leicester starting XI:
Here is the side Brendan Rodgers has selected for today’s game and it just shows how much talent they have in their squad.
Chelsea target Wesley Fofana will be looking to put in a performance to entice a bid, while Leicester may be hoping he can add to his value with a strong shift today.
With Maddison and Vardy playing the win will be hard fought, with Tielemans and Ndidi running the midfield.
1. Ward, 27. Castagne, 3. Fofana, 6. Evans, 18. Amartey, 2. Justin, 8. Tielemans, 25. Ndidi, 22. Dewsbury-Hall, 10. Maddison, 9. Vardy.
Credit: @LCFC
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Arsenal starting XI:
Mikel Arteta has gone with the same side that beat Crystal Palace in their opening league fixture today.
1. Ramsdale, 4. White, 12. Saliba, 6. Gabriel, 35. Zinchenko, 8. Odegaard, 5. Partey, 34. Xhaka, 7. Saka, 9. Jesus, 11. Martinelli
Credit: @Arsenal -
Countdown to kick-off
With just over an hour until the start of the game against Leicester, we await the team news with interest.
One thing we do know is that club captain and Norway midfielder, Martin Odegaard will be in the line-up.
Credit: @Arsenal -
Home is where the heart is
This weekend may not be the Premier League opener we are all waited for with bated breath last weekend, but there is something special about the first home game of the season.
Mikel Arteta will be keen to make The Emirates a ground that is tough to go to with no easy points available this season.
As the sun beats down on North London, the fans begin to arrive, hopes and dreams of the season ahead on their minds.
Credit: PA -
Gaffer sheds no light on future
The Arsenal manager was quizzed amid links of Kieran Tierney being part of a transfer to Man City this summer.
Arteta would not be drawn on the player’s future:
You know that I’m not going to be commenting on individual cases. He played 15-20 minutes last week and did really well. He’s been out for a long time after the knee injury. But he looks in perfect condition now and ready to go.
Mikel Arteta
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Mikel puts faith in youngsters
The Arsenal manager has spoken of the moment William Saliba returned from his loan spell at Marseille.
This being the third of his loan spells to France, some talk was of the defender moving to Marseille on a permanent deal.
Arteta spoke of the conversations he had with him:
The reality is he was very convinced and determined to come here. He had no other choice. He never suggested anything else. From the first conversations that we had with him, you could see that he only had one intention – to come here and start to play football matches for Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta
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Arteta looking to keep confidence high
Arsenal are looking to keep their 100% start to the new campaign going today against Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester City.
While the squad go through their last minute preparations for the game today, the Emirates Stadium is match ready.
Fans will be hoping to see some high octane action in a sweltering London today.
Credit: @Arsenal
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Barcelona offered Gunners defender
Reports suggest that Hector Bellerin has been offered to the Catalan club for free this summer.
With 10 months remaining on his contract, the right back has fallen down the pecking order quite considerably of late.
Having spent last season on loan at Real Betis, Arsenal are keen to offload a lot of their fringe players to get them off the books.
Despite the lure of Barcelona, the defender is supposed to be keen on a move back to the Benito Villamarin Stadium, where he enjoyed his loan spell.
With the current issues Barcelona are having in registering players, it remains to be seen if the Spanish giants are still in the market for more players.
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‘Safe hands’ predicts Gunners win
David Seaman, or ‘safe hands’ as he was known to his team mates has been talking about today’s game and how he sees things panning out in his podcast :
Arsenal against Leicester, it’s obviously the first home game for Arsenal. Leicester won’t be too happy having lost a two-goal lead. They won’t be full of confidence, but they showed how good they are in front of goal, they were quality goals as well. I’m still going to go with a home win, I’m going to go with 3-1 to Arsenal.
David Seaman
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Jesus saves Arsenal European break
Gabriel Jesus was brought into Arsenal to fire the goals The Gunners need to see them cement their place in the top four of the Premier League once again.
Under Arsene Wenger, Champions League football was a regular mainstay every season but since then the club have rarely graced Europe’s elite competition.
Last season, Arteta’s young side look set to book the 4th place spot the club and fans craved only see their North London rivals pip them to the post.
Jesus will be keen to announce his arrival at The Emirates today.
Credit: Getty -
Looking to gun down foxes
In the lead up to kick-off this afternoon, Arsenal fans up and down the country will be trying to read the mind of boss Mikel Arteta and the side he will select today.
This is how we expect The Gunners to line up today with Jesus leading the line with Martinelli and Saka assisting him in the front three.
Debutant William Saliba’s performance saw him win the ‘man of the match’ award and will no doubt see him start at centre-back again.
Arteta will be looking to keep the same side that saw them secure all three points at Selhurst Park last week.
