Mikel Arteta was impressed with Arsenal in the first half against Leeds but wasn’t best pleased with what he saw from his side in the second of the match at Elland Road.
With Manchester City losing at Liverpool thanks to Mo Salah’s 76th minute goal, Arsenal sit four points clear at the top of the Premier League table.
Had Leeds a better forward line, that gap might be a lot smaller as we sit here today.
Still, Arsenal found a way to see out the win and collect all the points, even if VAR was needed more than once to help Chris Kavanagh, who continues to be out of his depth as a Premier League referee.
“It was a really tough one,” Arteta said after the match. “We knew that; we expected a really chaotic game in certain periods. We extended that period too much, especially in the second half.
“I think in the first half, we had some great moments, some incredible plays where we should have scored two or three goals, and we didn’t.
“Then the second half, we started right from the kick-off in a really bad way. We conceded a goal that was disallowed, and we never got any momentum. We put ourselves in trouble in the first regulation, especially in build-up.
“After that we never got a real kick of the game and be able to impose ourselves. But that said, as well, the resilience, the character, the personality, and as well, that willingness that I saw there from the players to win again, is what I really love.
“I think in any context, every three days, you have to be able to do that [grind out ugly wins]. In Norway after travelling, playing on astroturf in really difficult conditions, changing a lot of players, and come here and do it again. It’s very tough unless you give the boys belief.
“Today we needed a bit of luck but for me, there is no luck. There is something behind this team, something behind the spirit of everybody that is involved in this team that gives that extra thing – that’s why good things happened.
“You see again, our crowd and how good they are with the boys. It’s just a pleasure to be part of this.”