Arsenal

Mikel Arteta spoke to Sky Sports after Arsenal's victory against Leeds:

"A lot to be excited by. A really positive afternoon to start the season off at home, You could feel the energy immediately, that it had gone up a level and that is what we were looking for. The team played really well, really confident. The team created a lot and did not concede anything. Five goals and a clean sheet is a really good start.

On Max Dowman's debut, he added: On Dowman's debut and keeping a lid on the excitment: "We have to gather all the information. It's how he reacts and deals with the situation. What his teammates think about him, which is clear, because they kept on passing him the ball. It is great to be able to change the energy in the stadium by bringing him in and he had an impact. He won a penalty on his debut at the Emirates, that's incredible.

On the injuries to Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka: "Martin looks like a shoulder issue so we will have to scan tomorrow and understand how bad it is. And Bukayo had to come off after sprinting and when he was wrestling with the defender he felt something in his hamstring I think. It is the other side [to the previous injury] but it is still not good. I don't know [how long they will be out]

Goalscorer Viktor Gyokeres told Sky Sports: "Of course, I am really happy with the result. It was very nice to score two goals as well.

"It is always pressure. I know I'll take my chances sooner or later. We won 5-0 so it was a great day.

"It was a short pre-season for me and not too many weeks training and then, of course, playing 90 minutes in pre-season. It was important for me to get 90 minutes and get the rhythm and to get to know the team even more during this game.

"I felt more comfortable in how we're playing, and I think you can see that as well.

"I am comfortable when the ball is coming in-behind and then cutting inside. I know I'll take the chance when I have it like that.

"We have so many amazing players going forward. For me, it is important to be in the right place."

Did you know?

• Arsenal are now unbeaten in their last 43 Premier League home games against newly promoted sides equalling the competition's record set by Chelsea (also 43 games between November 2001-November 2015).

• Max Dowman (15y 235d) became just the third player to appear in a Premier League game before turning 16 years old after teammate Ethan Nwaneri v Brentford in September 2022 (15y 181d) and Jeremy Monga for Leicester City v Newcastle United in April (15y 271d).

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Arsenal's performance

What did you make of Leeds' display?

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies

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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says Eberechi Eze's " mentality and ambition" make him a perfect fit for his squad.

The 27-year-old will wear the number 10 shirt and will hope to be in contention for Arsenal's trip to Anfield to face champions Liverpool next weekend.

"We are absolutely delighted to bring Eberechi to Arsenal," Arteta said in a club statement. "He is a powerful and exciting player who will give us a new dimension in our attacking game.

"What stands out just as much as his talent and intelligence as a player, is the way he has worked hard throughout his career to get where he is today.

"His journey, his mentality and his ambition are exactly what we want in our team, and we love how much it means to him and his family to be joining our club."

Gunners sporting director Andrea Berta added: "Eberechi is a creative and explosive talent with huge technical quality – a big-game player, with his experience at international level with England also underlining his quality and character.

"We are very confident Eberechi will be an important addition to our squad as we continue to build for success."

Mikel Arteta has made two changes from the team that beat Manchester United with Noni Madueke and and Jurrien Timber coming into the starting line up. 15-year-old Max Dowman is on the bench.

Arsenal starting XI: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Zubimendi, Rice, Odegaard, Saka, Madueke, Gyokeres

Subs: Arrizabalaga, Mosquera, Martinelli, Kiwior, Trossard, Nwaneri, Merino, Lewis-Skelly, Dowman

Leeds are unchanged from the team that beat Everton in their first Premier League game of the season. They are looking to win their opening two Premier League games in a season for the first time since 2002-03.

Leeds starting XI: Perri, Bogle, Gudmundsson,Struijk, Rodon, James, Piroe, Stach, Tanaka, Gnonto, Gruev

Subs: Darlow, Longstaff, Aaronson, Nmecha, Bijol, Okafor, Harrison, Bornauw, Byram

There are five games in the Premier League on Saturday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Manchester City v Tottenham (12:30)

• Bournemouth v Wolves

• Brentford v Aston Villa - BBC Radio 5 Live

• Burnley v Sunderland - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Arsenal v Leeds (17:30) - BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times 15:00 BST unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

I didn't feel Arsenal's performance was there against Manchester United, but at least they found a way to win.

All the talk in this game is going to be about Viktor Gyokeres and whether he can get off the mark. There was such an overreaction after he didn't score against Manchester United last weekend.

He has been written off as a dud in some quarters already! That's the modern game though - you can get written off after your first hour of playing in the Premier League. Not for me though, I think he will come good.

Leeds played with such intensity against Everton, although the penalty they won was slightly harsh.

Will Daniel Farke's side show that same level of bravery at the Emirates? Probably - and, if so, it will cost them.

Sutton's prediction: 4-0

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Jordan Butler
BBC Sport journalist

The only two teams to register 1-0 wins on the opening Premier League weekend meet at the Emirates.

"One nil to the Arsenal" was the chant in the away end at Old Trafford last Sunday. All six of Arsenal's Premier League wins at Manchester United have been by that scoreline, but they were far from their best and allowed 22 shots on their goal – the most they have faced in a Premier League game against United since that famous 8-2 defeat 14 years ago.

Viktor Gyokeres' hotly anticipated debut became a mere footnote in the match - he had 22 touches and lasted an hour before he was withdrawn. He also failed to have a shot for the first time since April 2023, ending a run of 69 consecutive league appearances in which he registered at least one attempt at goal.

Much more will be expected of the 27-year-old Swede in the coming months and he will be required to step things up immediately after Kai Havertz suffered a knee injury this week.

Arsenal drew a whopping 14 matches in last season's top flight – a number only surpassed by Everton with 15 and a total which ultimately cost them the title. Six of those league draws came at home, with points dropped against the likes of Brentford and Crystal Palace. However, they did beat all three newly promoted sides at the Emirates in 2024-25 - and the same will be expected this season.

The Gunners are flat-track bullies when it comes to hosting teams to have come up from the Championship and are unbeaten in 42 such Premier League home matches, winning 37 and drawing five. Avoid defeat on Saturday and they will equal Chelsea's long-standing Premier League record.

Leeds United travel south seeking to win their opening two Premier League fixtures for the first time since 2002-03 under Terry Venables.

Last season, it took until October for one of the promoted trio to register a win. This season – for just the third time – two from three did so on the opening weekend.

Daniel Farke's side became the first Championship title-holders to take maximum points from their opening top-flight game for 17 years on Monday with a narrow victory over Everton.

The Toffees were toothless, but Farke's men deserve credit as they limited their opponents to 14 touches in touches in the box and one shot on target – the fewest allowed by any side in the opening round.

Their defensive mettle will be tested in this weekend and Leeds tend to suffer in the capital - they have endured seven successive top-flight defeats in London since a 2-1 triumph at Brentford in May 2022.

They have also failed to win any of their previous 14 meetings with Arsenal, losing the past six in a row.

Karan Vinod
BBC Sport journalist

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Leeds United at Emirates Stadium (kick-off 17:30 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Arteta confirmed Kai Havertz has sustained an injury, though the full extent is not yet known and "we need more time". Havertz will miss Saturday's match but is "mentally in a good place". Arteta described the forward as a "strong boy and very committed", adding that he expects Havertz "to deal with it in the best possible way".

• Midfielder Christian Norgaard will be unavailable, while defender Ben White remains a doubt. The Spaniard noted that Jurrien Timber's "load" will need to be carefully managed due to his past injuries and explained that they have decided to "take training down". On a more positive note, he confirmed forward Gabriel Jesus is doing "super well and looks in a really good place".

• On Eberechi Eze's expected arrival from Crystal Palace: "Nothing to comment, and I cannot talk about any player that is not part of our group."

• The Spaniard reiterated that the decision to take Victor Gyokeres off after an hour against Manchester United was contingent on "how the game developed", adding: "The game was very demanding physically, and at the moment, he did enough." The Arsenal manager also said Gyokeres is "very enthusiastic and looked in a really good place".

• On set-pieces: "The creativity comes from different angles. At Old Trafford, we had many situations where we should have exploited the situation to be much more efficient to finish actions. That is a big resource we have, and it brings confidence as well that the team can score goals from any situation."

• Arteta labelled the first game at the Emirates as "very special" and "it builds a different energy around the stadium". He said "that connection" will ensure the players will be at it from kick-off and "we are going to have a good game".

• The Spaniard complimented Noni Madueke as someone who can "unlock situations and create uncertainty in and around the goal", while also acknowledging his ability to bring a "different profile" on the pitch in different stages of the game.

• On having Leeds back in the Premier League: "Incredible club, incredible history, one big city that is so passionate, and you know what happens when you go there and play. Great to have them back - apart from tomorrow."

• More on Leeds: "Very impressed in watching them what they did in pre-season, in what they did on Monday [in their 1-0 win over Everton], what they did last year and the manner that they did it as well. Big compliments to the way they play and the coach. I am sure it is going to be a difficult match against us tomorrow."

Listen to BBC Radio 5 Live commentary of Arsenal v Leeds on Saturday

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Chris Howard
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Perhaps if Shakespeare were still alive, even he couldn't have predicted the whirlwind 24 hours that Arsenal fans experienced this week, as we finally got 'our boy' back home with us, following weeks of speculation and what felt like resignation at the prospect of him joining the most local (and disliked) of rivals in Tottenham Hotspur.

But here we are, with one of the most rapid hijack moves since a certain Emmanuel Petit had Spurs pay his cab fare to Arsene's house all those years ago.

This is far more than bragging rights, however, because in Eberechi Eze, Arsenal, and Mikel Arteta have a key component part solved in how they will counter the suffocating low-block football that they came up against time and time again against last season.

The brief was clear at the start of the summer: more directness, more attempts, more chaos. We need goals. We need a different approach. Arteta needs more clubs in his metaphorical golf set. Noni Madueke fits that bill when you look at his style and statistics, Viktor Gyokeres too, but Eze completes the set. His arrival could have the potential to truly 'unlock' Arsenal and those team-mates around him. His ability on the ball, his eye for a goal, his link-up play and versatility; it's all there. And the bonus part? He's an Arsenal fan. A rejected youth scholar returns a man to fulfil a dream that had been decades in the making.

Shakespeare didn't write footballing fairytale stories, but if he did, they probably wouldn't be far off this particular transfer.

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on Eberechi Eze, who, despite the best efforts of rivals Tottenham, looks set to join Arsenal.

Here are some of your comments:

Robin: At last, the missing link! Eze stood out to me when he was at QPR and he has really come on in the last two seasons. With the support and quality at Arsenal I think he will make the transition to a world class player by helping Arsenal to become a world class trophy-winning team.

Dave: Brilliant move for us. I was worried after seeing Martinelli at Old Trafford. He has just not kicked on to the next level in terms of finishing and creating. Eze, like Palmer, is a player who can grab a game by the throat and make a real difference.

Guy: I love Eze as a player, but I'm not sure he is the right fit for us or the player we need. An out-and-out left winger would be preferable to me, rather than trying to shoehorn people into places they don't belong.

Ant: While not a goal machine, Eze has proven form in the Premier League over several seasons, and will be looking to prove himself worthy of a place in Tuchel's squad next summer. Bonus points that he's an Arsenal fan, and a former Hale End player.

Sterls: Finally, this was the one transfer I'd been waiting for. Eze is an amazing player and one who will give us that X- factor that we have been looking for. It was noticeable when Odegaard and Saka got injured that our lack of creativity, penetration and goal scoring dried up considerably. Now with the likes of Zubimendi, Gyokeres and Eze onboard, we finally have the links to the missing pieces in us winning a major trophy this year.

Aussie Gooner: Go to bed with Havertz injured and out... wake up with Eze close to Arsenal. Hope it's not a dream and the nightmare is over!

Alex Howell
Arsenal reporter

Image source, Getty Images

If Arsenal beat rivals Tottenham to complete the signing of Eberechi Eze, there is little doubt it would be one of the standout moments of the transfer window.

It's certainly a moment their fans will revel in.

Spurs would have thought they had their man almost signed and sealed, but things can change quickly in football.

Arsenal had been actively looking at options in the market and have been monitoring Eze for a long time.

With Ethan Nwaneri signing a new deal and the signing of Noni Madueke adding to the options provided by Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard, signing another forward was not a pressing need.

However, Kai Havertz's knee injury has changed things, and although the Gunners do not yet know how long the German faces out of action, a reinforcement was needed.

So Arsenal have made a move for Crystal Palace's England forward Eberechi Eze, with sources telling BBC Sport they Gunners are set to offer about £60m

A lot of you had been asking why the Gunners weren't moving for Eze on our 'Ask about Arsenal' form, so we want to know what you think about this development - especially from under the noses of north London rivals Tottenham.

Is Eze what the squad needs to take that final step to Premier League glory? And what do you make of the apparent cost of the deal?

Get in touch with your views here

Alex Howell
Arsenal reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Arsenal held an open training session at their stadium on Wednesday, with supporters given the chance to see the team preparing for Saturday's home match against Leeds United.

It is unusual for Mikel Arteta to give insight into his sessions and although the training may have been altered, here is what we saw.

The players started the warm-up with mascots and played small-sided games before jogging around the pitch.

The first thing noticed was Kai Havertz, who it has since been revealed has suffered a knee injury, Ben White and Christian Norgaard were missing from the session.

Max Dowman was again training with the first-team squad and the 15-year-old impressed during the match played in an area created in the middle of the pitch.

Summer signing Martin Zubimendi played for both teams in a different coloured bib as Arteta looks to get the midfielder used to what he wants fromhim. Once the session was finished, Arteta had a lengthy chat with Zubimendi about positioning.

Riccardo Calafiori, who scored the winning goal against Manchester United, was receiving one-to-one coaching from the left side of the pitch and then was drilled on putting crosses into the box.

Alex Howell
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Arsenal are waiting to see if Kai Havertz is going to be on the sidelines for a period of time after the forward picked up a knee injury.

The 26-year-old was not part of the open training session held at Emirates Stadium on Wednesday and the injury is being assessed by the medical department.

The club are waiting for the injury to settle down, so the length of time that the forward could be ruled out is not clear at the moment.

Manager Mikel Arteta said after the pre-season match against Athletic Bilbao that the Gunners are "actively looking at options" in the market.

Arsenal have £64m signing Viktor Gyokeres available. Meanwhile, Leandro Trossard, who has signed improved terms, can play as a centre-forward and midfielder Mikel Merino excelled in the role at the end of last season.

Arsenal play Leeds at the Emirates on Saturday and Arteta will be able to give an update on the forward at his pre-match news conference on Friday.

Alex Howell
Arsenal reporter

We have had plenty of questions come in after Arsenal's 1-0 win over Manchester United in the opening weekend of the Premier League. The most common theme was Arsenal's need to sign a left-winger.

Mikel Arteta said himself after the pre-season match against Athletic Bilbao that the Gunners are "actively looking at options" in the market.

Arsenal have been looking at players who could play on the left wing but they do have options in their squad who can take on the role through the season.

Gabriel Martinelli started their Premier League opener at Old Trafford and Noni Madueke came on there for Martinelli, and featured from the left in the two pre-season friendlies against Villarreal and Athletic Bilbao.

Leandro Trossard can also play in the position but could leave if there was an offer that reached the club's valuation.

The Gunners do have players they would be open to selling as a way to raise funds for a new signing before the deadline, including Fabio Vieira, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Reiss Nelson, Jakob Kiwior and Albert Samba Lokonga.

Arsenal are staying alert if there is a market opportunity and they have the money and PSR headroom to do it - but ideally they would like a couple of outgoings before making something happen.

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Alex Howell
Arsenal reporter

Arsenal had an open training session at the Emirates on Wednesday before their first home fixture of the Premier League season when they host Leeds United on Saturday.

Ben White and Kai Havertz were glaring omissions. White came off in the 71st minute in the win at Manchester United on Sunday and Havertz started the game on the bench.

Sami Mokbel
Senior football correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

Martin Zubimendi was struck by a severe sickness bug last week which threatened his participation in Arsenal's win at Manchester United on Sunday.

The midfielder, an arrival from Real Sociedad in the summer, made his debut for the Gunners in the victory at Old Trafford at the weekend.

But the Spain international was a major doubt for the game because of a stomach bug that led to him missing two full training sessions last week.

However, given the size of the occasion, Zubimendi was determined not to miss the fixture and was ruled fit to play at the end of the week.

The 26-year-old played the full 90 minutes as the Gunners secured a 1-0 win courtesy of Ricardo Calafiori's first-half goal.