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Injury-hit Leeds have slumped to a second alarming loss in five days, 4-1 at home to Arsenal in the only English Premier League match to take place on Saturday amid a wave of pandemic-affected postponements.
Coming off a 7-0 thrashing at Manchester City on Tuesday, Leeds – down to nine senior players and with a 15-year-old on the bench amid an injury crisis – were ripped apart in the first half on Saturday as Gabriel Martinelli scored twice and Bukayo Saka added another.
Gabriel Martinelli took no prisoners v Leeds at Elland Road ????
⚽ 16'
⚽ 28'His first Premier League brace.#PL #OptusSport pic.twitter.com/xd2z5hV27H
— Optus Sport (@OptusSport) December 18, 2021
Leeds even lost another player, Jack Harrison, to injury before halftime and their much-lauded Argentine manager Marcelo Bielsa had his head bowed as he walked back to the dressing room, with his team having allowed 15 shots on goal in a chaotic display.
The home side were better organised in the second half and managed a consolation when Raphinha converted a penalty after 19-year-old striker Joe Gelhardt was tripped by Ben White, Arsenal’s former Leeds centre back.
Substitute Emile Smith Rowe’s 84th-minute goal, after he was played through by Martin Odegaard, piled on the misery for Leeds, who are five points above the relegation zone having played three games more than third-to-last Burnley.
Arsenal consolidated fourth place in the race for Champions League qualification and are four points above fifth-placed West Ham, having played 18 of 38 games.
Gabriel Martinelli scores for Arsenal. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Burnley’s game at Aston Villa was postponed earlier on Saturday because of a COVID-19 outbreak in the Villa squad, trimming the latest round of the Premier League to just four games, with the remaining three to be played on Sunday.
© AAP
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