Leeds United were well-beaten by Arsenal on Saturday afternoon as the Gunners ran out 4-1 winners at the Emirates Stadium.
Here’s a look at Leeds’ winners and losers from the contest
Winners
Crysencio Summerville
Easily Leeds’ brightest in the first half of the contest after replacing Wilfried Gnonto int he starting XI on the left of the front three. He petrified the Gunners’ backline with his pace, control and direct running with the ball and more than took his chance to impress as the Premier League run-in approaches.
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He seized any space that Arsenal gave him and he carved out a couple of fine opportunities to score, too. As Arsenal put their foot down and pulled away in the second half, though, Summerville’s influence waned, but he still had enough to ask questions of Ben White.
Rasmus Kristensen
Kristensen bagged his first goal in Leeds colours before the international break at Wolves and he managed to get himself another in the capital, scoring Leeds’ only goal of the game. Jack Harrison was the man who carved out the opening, dancing his way into the area before seeing his cut back deflected into the path of Kristensen on the edge of the box.
The Dane’s effort was too hot for Ramsdale to handle and it was allowed to nestle into the corner of the net to give Leeds something to show for their efforts on the day. Javi Gracia surprised with his use of Kristensen on the day, selecting the right-back in midfield and asking him to get about the park and put Arsenal under a degree of pressure.
He did that relatively well and he could be seen snuffing out danger on a number of occasions.
Losers
Liam Cooper
The skipper was expected to start at the Emirates Stadium following the injury Max Wober picked up on international duty last week, but it was Pascal Struijk who got the nod to partner Robin Koch at the back. Cooper did eventually get the nod to enter the fray but it came in the 74th minute when Leeds were already 3-0 down.
It was Cooper’s first outing since the loss at Nottingham Forest at the start of February, with injury and the form of Wober preventing him from being able to have a say in Leeds’ fortunes since the dismissal of Jesse March. There are still 10 games to play this season but the decision to go with Struijk seemed to give us an idea about Cooper’s standing with Gracia’s plans at present.
Weston McKennie
McKennie played a key role for the USA over the international break and according to reports, he was struggling with flu-like symptoms prior to his return to Thorp Arch. However, he was still expected to start in the capital with many believing he could be the man to fill the void left by the injured Tyler Adams.
The American was named on the bench, as Gracia went for an unconventional midfield three of Marc Roca, Rasmus Kristensen and Jack Harrison. He did eventually step into the fray in the 66th minute but couldn’t make too much of an impact.
McKennie has struggled for form in a Leeds shirt so far but he’ll be desperate to give a good account of himself in the coming weeks and the games come thick and fast.
Luke Ayling
Not the defender’s best day in a Leeds shirt as he had a say in Arsenal’s first two goals. Ayling gave the referee a decision to make for the Gunners’ first, sliding at the feet of Gabriel Jesus, who duly hit the deck and won a penalty.
It was soft, perhaps, but it was naïve play from the man chosen to wear the captain’s armband from the start at Arsenal. Ayling was then beaten far too easily by Gabriel Martinelli in the build-up to Arsenal’s second as he failed to stop the cross that Ben White poked home at the back post.
He struggled with the threat of Martinelli all afternoon, in fairness, with the Brazilian comfortably winning the battle down that flank.
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