Viktor Gyokeres scored his first two Arsenal targets because the Gunners gave Leeds a harsh lesson within the step-up to the Premier League with a 5-0 win on the Emirates.
Nevertheless, victory got here at a value for Mikel Arteta as Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard hobbled off injured simply eight days earlier than Arsenal’s journey to Liverpool.
Arsenal edged forward of north London rivals Tottenham on the high of the desk on objective distinction, as the one two sides up to now with a 100% file from their opening two video games.
Arteta has been backed to the tune of £260 million ($350 million) on seven new signings in a bid to ship the membership’s first Premier League title since 2004 after ending second for the previous three years.
Arsenal’s newest £60 million recruit Eberechi Eze was paraded earlier than kick-off to an enormous ovation after turning his again on a transfer to Spurs to return to his boyhood membership.
Gyokeres additionally confirmed why he was signed from Sporting Lisbon as the answer to Arsenal’s want for a killer quantity 9.
However Arteta mentioned the accidents to Saka and Odegaard, simply days after Kai Havertz was additionally dominated out by a knee damage, confirmed why he wants such a deep squad.
“We have realized the lesson from final season and the squad that you simply want proper now,” mentioned Arteta.
“That’s the reason we acted available in the market the way in which that now we have finished as a result of you’ve gotten so many video games, something can occur.
“It occurred to 2 of our most essential gamers — we already misplaced Kai — so we’re going to want everyone at his greatest and numerous luck as properly to not lose others.”
15-year-old Dowman shines
Arsenal needed to depend on their risk from set-pieces to grind out a 1-0 win at Manchester United on the opening weekend of the season.
Regardless of a dominant begin to the sport, that was how the the Leeds defence was prised open.
Timber had scored simply twice in 52 Arsenal appearances earlier than Saturday.
The Dutch worldwide doubled that tally as he firstly bought his head to Rice’s inviting supply on 34 minutes.
Odegaard then made his departure after showing to injure his shoulder falling closely to the turf.
Saka quickly had the Emirates crowd again on their toes when he drilled Timber’s move excessive previous Lucas Perri together with his supposedly weaker proper foot.
Gyokeres had at one level been a goal for Leeds throughout his days with Coventry within the Championship earlier than making the transfer to Portugal.
The Swede’s potential to achieve the Premier League has been questioned regardless of his prolific file of 97 targets in 102 video games for Sporting.
Arsenal’s new £66 million signing quietened his doubters as he scampered onto Riccardo Calafiori’s ball excessive and lower inside earlier than firing in on the close to put up.
Saka missed almost 4 months of final season with a hamstring damage.
Worryingly for Arteta, the England worldwide was holding the again of his left leg when he was changed on 53 minutes.
Arsenal added a fouth when Leeds did not clear one other Rice nook and Timber pressured the ball over the road from shut vary.
Arteta may then afford the luxurious of handing a Premier League debut to 15-year-old Max Dowman.
He turned the second youngest ever participant to play within the English top-flight after team-mate Ethan Nwaneri.
Dowman’s trickery received a penalty deep into stoppage time that Gyokeres gratefully dispatched.
“That was particular for certain,” added Arteta on Dowman’s cameo show. “It’s nice to have the ability to change the power within the stadium by bringing him in and he had an affect.”
