Arsenal 2-0 Leeds: Eddie Nketiah and Calum Chambers put Gunners into Carabao Cup quarter-finals
Forgotten duo Calum Chambers and Eddie Nketiah were on target as Arsenal marched into the Carabao Cup quarter-finals with a 2-0 victory over Leeds.
Chambers netted just 23 seconds after replacing the injured Ben White in the second half at Emirates Stadium, with Nketiah then notching against his former club as the Gunners confidently booked their spot in the last eight.
Mikel Arteta made nine changes to the side that bounced back from a disappointing display against Crystal Palace to beat Aston Villa 3-1 in the Premier League on Friday, with only White and Emile Smith Rowe retaining their starting berths.
And the Gunners made a lively start to proceedings, with ex-Leeds loanee Nketiah dragging a shot well wide from an offside position and Ilan Meslier denying Gabriel Martinelli with his legs after shouts for a penalty following Diego Llorente’s risky challenge on Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
But Leeds were soon in the ascendancy as Llorente played a brilliant long ball over the head of White, with Bernd Leno racing out to deny Dan James after a heavy first touch from the former Manchester United winger.
Llorente just missed out on heading home a corner from close range and Leno was called upon again as he got down well at his near post to parry a stinging low drive from Jack Harrison.
Tyler Roberts and James asked more questions of Leno, who is trying to win back his regular starting job from Aaron Ramsdale, with Leeds so dangerous on the counter.
Arsenal tried to rediscover some lost momentum before the interval, though Smith Rowe could only slice well wide from the edge of the box.
Arteta’s men upped the ante after half-time, with Martinelli impressing before Arsenal lost White to injury.
But his replacement proceeded to score with his first touch just 23 seconds after coming on, with Chambers reacting quickest to head past Meslier after a corner from the left had been nodded back across goal by Nicolas Pepe.
Meslier thought he had kept the ball out, but was overruled by goal-line technology after a brief wait. It was Chambers’ first goal for two years.
Arsenal now looked dangerous every time they came forward and Nketiah appeared in the mood to score against the club for whom he made 19 appearances during the 2019/20 season.
And he did just that after Harrison had shot straight at Leno at the other end, chasing down what appeared to be a lost cause as young Leeds debutant Cody Drameh and Liam Cooper produced successive headers to try and play the ball back to Meslier, who was beaten to the punch by Nketiah.
The striker lobbed the goalkeeper and took a steadying touch before almost botching a close-range finish with the goal gaping, the ball rolling in at the back post off his shin.
More to follow
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