Mikel Arteta seeks redemption against Leeds United

Arsenal travel to Elland Road to take on Leeds United in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.

The Whites were held to a 1-1 draw by Everton last time out in the Premier League, and they currently sit 16th in the PL standings, six points clear of the drop zone.

Arsenal ended their Champions League league phase with a 100% winning record as they defeated Kairat Almaty 3-2 on Wednesday, securing their top spot in the UCL standings.

However, the Gunners are on a three-game winless run, losing 3-2 to rejuvenated Manchester United in their last Premier League outing, and they will be keen to get a result here to continue their title ambitions.

Match preview

Leeds are winless in their last six home league games against Arsenal (D2 L4) since a 1-0 victory in November 2000. Three of those four defeats have been by a 4-1 scoreline.

Arsenal have won their last six league games against Leeds by an aggregate score of 20-5. It’s their longest ever winning run against the Whites.

The Gunners have scored 4+ goals in eight different Premier League games against Leeds, beating them 5-0 in August’s reverse fixture. Only against Everton (12) have they done so more in the competition.

The Whites have never won a Premier League home game against the side starting the day top of the table (D7 L7). They’ve lost all three against Arsenal, going down 4-1 in September 2002, 4-1 in November 2003 and 1-0 in October 2022.

Leeds are unbeaten in their last five Premier League home games (W3 D2), last having a longer run in the same top-flight campaign between March and May 2021 (6 – W3 D3).

Arsenal are winless in their last three Premier League games (D2 L1), losing 3-2 against Manchester United last time out. The Gunners haven’t lost consecutive league games since December 2023.

Leeds have lost just one of their last 10 Premier League games (W3 D6), with that defeat coming at Newcastle courtesy of two stoppage-time goals. No side has lost fewer games than the Whites since the start of December (1).

Declan Rice could make his 300th Premier League appearance in this match (204 for West Ham, 95 for Arsenal currently). Aged 27 years and 17 days on the day, he would be the fifth youngest to reach the milestone after Wayne Rooney (26y 58d), James Milner (26y 117d), Gareth Barry (26y 247d) and Raheem Sterling (26y 348d).

Team news

Leeds United

Gabriel Gudmundsson and Daniel James could return to the matchday squad after their respective injuries, with Jaka Bijol the only absentee with injury.

Arsenal

Max Dowman is the visitors’ only absentee with injury.

Predicted line-ups

Leeds United: Karl Darlow, Joe Rodon, Sebastiaan Bornauw. Pascal Struijk, Ethan Ampadu, Ilia Gruev, Jayden Bogle, James Justin, Anton Stach, Brenden Aaronson, Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Arsenal: David Raya, Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhães, Piero Hincapié, Martín Zubimendi, Declan Rice, Martin Ødegaard, Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Jesus.