In the end, Leeds United survived relegation rather comfortably last term.
The job Daniel Farke has performed at Elland Road is nothing short of remarkable. Aiming to cement his legacy as one of their best managers, he is certainly faring well in that regard.
As the international break arrived, the Whites sat fifth in the Premier League. They are unbeaten.
Therefore, as they prepare to face a wounded Arsenal side after they lost 3-0 to Brighton, there is arguably no better time to play the champions of England.
How Leeds can defeat Arsenal
A trip to the Emirates Stadium is perhaps one of the trickiest ties in European football right now but for Leeds, they are well placed to take advantage of a mini slump for the Gunners.
That said, they will still have their work cut out. The Yorkshire side have not beaten Arsenal on the road since May 2003 when goals from Ian Harte, Harry Kewell and Mark Viduka sealed a 3-2 victory.
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Leeds team for 3-2 win v Arsenal |
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Paul Robinson |
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Ian Harte |
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Garry Kelly |
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Danny Mills |
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Michael Duberry |
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Lucas Radebe |
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Dominic Matteo |
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Eirik Bakke |
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Jason Wilcox |
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Harry Kewell |
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Mark Viduka |
So, after 23 years, how can Farke’s men secure a rare win this time around? Well, they will certainly look towards their press and winning the midfield battle.
Brighton’s press was intense against the Gunners at the Amex last time out and it caused Arsenal all sorts of problems.
Likewise, the Seagulls were able to play through Mikel Arteta’s midfield with ease. Considering Farke likes to pack the middle of the park, this bodes well ahead of Saturday’s match.
Leeds are also likely to be buoyed by injury problems at Arsenal. Kai Havertz sustained a hamstring issue over the international break, meaning they will likely come up against Viktor Gyokeres. He doesn’t make their forward line tick in the same way as the German.
Arsenal are also set to be without Christos Tzolis, their only out-and-out left winger.
The latest injury and team news ahead of Arsenal
Arsenal are not the only side suffering from injury heading into this one. Indeed, Leeds could be without as many as three players for their visit to the capital at the weekend.
Joe Rodon remains a long-term absentee while there are also doubts surrounding Harry Wilson.
He missed the match with Crystal Palace prior to the break and then didn’t play a part in any of Wales’ fixtures over the last two and a half weeks. As a result, there is a cloud of uncertainty surrounding his fitness until we hear from Farke later this week.
Frustratingly for the player, Leeds could also be without Jean-Matteo Bahoya.
He was in action for France U21s, playing 90 minutes against Luxembourg and Iceland. He also scored a goal against Estonia U21s.
As a result, for a player with just a minute of Premier League football under his belt after arriving in England, it was a much-needed confidence boost.
Yet, the player has now suffered a huge individual setback in his season. He had to leave the U21 camp early after picking up an ankle problem.
Thus, the idea that he could miss more football owing to injury will be gutting for the 21-year-old.
When Bahoya arrived on an initial loan deal in the final hours of transfer deadline day, it looked like an exciting signing. This is a player who was hailed as a “[Bradley] Barcola regen” by analyst and content creator Filipe Sousa.
Barcola, of course, was another new player to join the Premier League over the summer, albeit he headed to Liverpool to the tune of a whopping £123m.
Bahoya isn’t quite on the same level but in full flight, he is a captivating player. Last season, while playing for Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany, the Frenchman ranked among the best players on the continent for ball carrying.
He sat among the finest 7% of wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for successful dribbles per 90 minutes with 2.78. He also ranked among the best 8% of positionally similar players for progressive carries, making 4.67 per 90.
If Farke can find a way to get a tune out of Bahoya, we could be looking at another Crysencio Summerville-esque player here.
However, for that to happen, he will need to get on the pitch first. While he was never going to start against Arsenal this Saturday, it is a big setback for a player who has so far struggled to adapt to life at Elland Road.
