After suffering heartbreak last weekend, we enjoyed the spoils of a late victory as Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz beat Leicester City in stoppage time in a six-goal thriller.

Gabriel Martinelli grabbed his first Gunners goal in six months when he scored after 19 minutes, and just before the half-time whistle he set up Trossard to double our lead as the winger atoned for his red card at Manchester City last weekend.

However, within a minute of the start of the second half, James Justin saw a deflected header find the net, and on 63 minutes the right-back connected with a brilliant volley to put his side level.

An incredible goalkeeping performance from Mads Hermansen saw him make save after save as it looked like his team would escape with a point, but Trossard managed to bundle the ball home and claim all three points before Havertz scored after a counter-attack to crazy attack to complete. afternoon football.

Domination in the first half

Mikel Arteta chose to name the same eleven players who started for City six days ago, and our first half performance was the complete opposite of the second 45 at the Etihad Stadium as we completely shut down our opponents.

Despite plenty of early pressure it took us 15 minutes to create a chance when Bukayo Saka fired a low shot towards goal, but it was comfortable for Hermansen, and a minute later Bukayo Martinelli slid in, but a poor first touch tightened the angle and he sent an effort wide.

But after 19 minutes he made no mistake. Saka was involved again, picking out Jurrien Timber on the right who sent a low delivery into the box. He weaved through a thicket of visiting defenders and fell into Martinelli’s path, and his threadbare effort was enough to trickle into the bottom corner and get him on the scoresheet for the first time since March, and for the third game in a row against the opposition of today.

With his confidence growing again, Gabi then drove in a goal attempt that Hermansen cleared to safety, while Kai Havertz went close with a downward header that turned just wide of the far post with the keeper beaten, but just as it looked like we would protect. a one-goal lead at half-time, we suddenly doubled it.

With the clock ticking just past 45 minutes, Martinelli crawled towards the area and slotted the ball into Trossard, and he simply turned his body and directed the pass into the net to give the visitors a mountain to climb.

Justin-credible comeback

Leicester had been lackluster in the first half and having won just one of their last 26 away games in N5, the writing was on the wall, but 68 seconds after the restart they managed to regain a foothold in the match.

William Saliba brought down Jamie Vardy for a free-kick, which Facundo Buonanotte tapped into the penalty area. Justin sent a glancing header towards goal, which hit Havertz and deceived David Raya to give Steve Cooper’s team a lifeline.

We began to look to restore our healthier lead and only an excellent saving reaction from Hermansen prevented Gabriel from scoring a header from a corner, with the keeper also blocking Riccardo Calafiori’s follow-up move before Timber shot over, and then after Saka forced his way into the area. , Trossard saw a stab attempt end up on the post.

But the Foxes were a completely different team after the break and after Bounanotte went close with a couple of shots around the hour mark, they managed to level with a brilliant strike. There didn’t seem to be much going on when Wilfried Ndidi sent a cross over everyone in the box, but Justin grabbed the ball and smashed a sweetly struck volley past Raya, who kissed the post on its way to the net.

Hermansen heroics

The full-back’s goals made him the star of the show, but he was usurped by Hermansen thanks to an inspired display of goalkeeping, single-handedly denying us with a series of fantastic saves throughout the second half.

Firstly, a deflected Saka shot fell kindly to Havertz, who controlled it, turned and fired towards goal, but the Dane showed excellent reactions to thwart the German from close range, and after being caught playing from behind, corrected he his attack. mistake in denying Trossard who looked destined to score.

He proved unbeatable and moments after coming across Ethan Nwaneri, he released the ball but was denied a first Premier League goal with a full save before converting a Calafiori header as he enjoyed the match of his life.

Let pleasure

But in the fourth minute of stoppage time, the resistance finally broke. Saka whipped another dangerous corner into the box, where Trossard found it at the back post, and his side-footed effort deflected Ndidi and crept into the net, sending the Emirates wild.

Two minutes later, Gabriel Jesus broke through on goal and shot towards the bottom corner. Once again Hermansen made a good stop, but Justin inadvertently poked the rebound into the path of Havertz, who could no longer miss from a few yards out, and after initially being ruled out for offside, VAR ensured we would end with a two – goal advantage and level with the leader after six games.

What’s next

We return to Champions League action on Tuesday when Paris Saint-Germain come to town for our opening match in the competition this season, and then we host Southampton the following Saturday before the October international break begins.