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Gabriel Jesus enjoys dream Arsenal home debut to compound Leicester's woes

premier league results live score arsenal leicester man city latest - AFP
premier league results live score arsenal leicester man city latest - AFP
  • Jesus stars on his home debut with two goals and two assists

  • Leicester threatened late comeback after Maddison striker

  • Martinelli seals win with fine finish

The cameras panned to the smiling face of Edu, Arsenal’s technical director and transfer specialist, in the aftermath of the home side’s opener here. Gabriel Jesus had just curled in the first competitive goal of his Arsenal career, and there were few people inside the Emirates Stadium as visibly delighted as the man who spent £45m on the Brazilian this summer.

Edu, it is safe to say, had every reason to feel pleased. The striker signing was the one move that he simply could not afford to get wrong this off-season, with Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang both gone. Jesus was the man Arsenal wanted from the start, and this superb showing against Leicester City provided plenty of evidence to suggest he could be a genuinely transformative player for his new side.

When Edu and Mikel Arteta envisaged Jesus in this Arsenal attack, this is what they would have hoped to see. The striker departed the pitch with two goals and two assists on his home debut, but that barely tells half the story of his afternoon.

His performance brimmed with a level of dynamism and menace that Arsenal have not enjoyed for some time. It is a measure of Jesus’ class, and indeed the difficulties facing Arsenal last season, that the Brazilian has already equalled Lacazette’s total of non-penalty goals in the 2021/22 campaign.

“We know what Gabi can do,” said Arteta. “He is disappointed in the dressing room because he said he could have scored four. That is the standard, that is the mentality you need. I would not like to play against him. So mobile, so intuitive, always sharp. He lifts the standards, the way he is training every day.”

premier league results live score arsenal leicester man city latest  - AFP
premier league results live score arsenal leicester man city latest - AFP

If only Arsenal had defended with the same intensity with which they attacked, then this match would have passed without even the slightest concern for Arteta. Alas for Arsenal’s manager, there were a few moments of needless defensive nervousness, with the otherwise excellent William Saliba scoring an unfortunate own goal and Aaron Ramsdale conceding to James Maddison from a narrow angle.

It summarised the current state of the two teams, though, that Arsenal responded to both of Leicester’s goals by scoring at the other end just a few moments later. First Granit Xhaka cancelled out Saliba’s error, and then Gabrel Martinelli did the same for Maddison’s low strike.

For Brendan Rodgers, the Leicester manager, there could have been no sight more frustrating. Just as they fought their way back into the game, it slipped away again. For it to happen once was surely irritating enough. For it to happen twice was bordering on ludicrous. “In key moments of the game we made mistakes,” he said.

There is a genuine excitement around Arsenal this season, in part because of their new signings. How Leicester’s supporters must wish they too could feel the promise that stems from fresh faces. Rodgers is still yet to make an outfield signing this summer, and it was evident again that his squad needs revitalising.

“Anybody could see it today with Jesus: when you bring in a world-class player it is not just what he brings to the team, but what new signings bring to everyone else,” said Rodgers.

The Leicester defence had no answer to the quality offered by Jesus, who struck an opening goal of supreme class. Surrounded by opposition defenders, with no run-up and minimal back-lift, he was able to artfully curl the ball through the bodies and into Danny Ward’s top corner.

premier league results live score arsenal leicester man city latest - AFP
premier league results live score arsenal leicester man city latest - AFP

His second was far more straightforward, with Leicester proving that their inability to defend set pieces has continued into this new campaign. Jamie Vardy could only flick Martinelli’s corner towards the back post, where Jesus headed home from barely a yard out.

The intensity, the control, the adventure: it felt in these moments like Arsenal were playing the sort of big-team football that Arteta demands. Jesus alone was terrorising the Leicester back-line, throwing Jonny Evans to the floor and almost completing a remarkable hat-trick before half-time.

Leicester might have felt their luck was turning when they were awarded a penalty late in the first half, but a review of the pitchside monitor showed that Ramsdale had not made contact with Vardy, who endured a difficult afternoon.

Saliba’s own-goal, headed beyond Ramsdale as he raced back towards his own box, provided a brief moment of hope for Leicester. But then Ward, the replacement for the departed Kasper Schmeichel, dropped a simple cross at the feet of Jesus. From there, Xhaka tapped home.

The crowd’s response to Saliba, meanwhile, was telling. The 21-year-old is hugely popular with the club’s supporters and the home crowd stood by him after the own goal. “What the supporters did today with William, after the own goal, is something I have never seen in my career,” said Arteta.

Leicester pushed again, with Maddison firing through Ramsdale’s legs — could the Arsenal goalkeeper have done better? — but once again the visitors collapsed immediately afterwards. Jesus picked out Martinelli, whose long-range effort fizzed into the bottom corner of Ward’s net to confirm a deserved victory for Arsenal.


Premier League clockwatch, as it happened


05:34 PM

Thanks for joining us

Another busy day in the Premier League. Man City and Arsenal both look sharp. A crucial point for Southampton. Wolves struggling for goals.


05:30 PM

Follow Brentford vs Man Utd

The final game of the day is underway. Keep up to date with the match here.


05:24 PM

No goals for Erling Haaland but no problem for Man City in Bournemouth rout

Read Ian Whittel's report from the Etihad here as the Norwiegan striker fails to get among the goals.

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premier league results live score arsenal leicester man city latest - GETTY IMAGES

05:16 PM

Premier League results


05:06 PM

Reaction from the Emirates by Sam Dean

Two goals and two assists for Gabriel Jesus. That's what you get for £45m. I think we knew this already but that match provided yet more proof that this guy is going to completely transform Arsenal's attack. Phenomenal performance.

premier league results live score arsenal leicester man city latest  - GETTY IMAGES
premier league results live score arsenal leicester man city latest - GETTY IMAGES

04:59 PM

FULL TIME Wolves 0 Fulham 0

No goals but plenty of incidents at Molineux.


04:58 PM

FULL TIME Southampton 2 Leeds 2

A dramatic second half at St Mary's. Leeds looked on course for three points but Southampton fought back to earn their first point of the season.


04:57 PM

FULL TIME Arsenal 4 Leicester 2

Two games. Two wins. Arsenal have made a perfect start to the season.


04:55 PM

FULL TIME Man City 4 AFC Bournemouth 0

All over at the Etihad. A convincing display by the defending champions.


04:54 PM

FULL TIME Brighton 0 Newcastle 0

Pope was the man of the match for Newcastle today. Both teams remain unbeaten on 4 points.


04:53 PM

90mins: Wolves 0 Fulham 0

Mitrovic puts his head in towards Gibbs-White. He might be in trouble here.

Just a yellow card. Lucky boy.


04:49 PM

85mins: Brighton 0 Newcastle 0

Both teams pushing for what would be a late winner at the Amex.


04:44 PM

81mins: Southampton 2 Leeds 2 GOAL Walker-Peters

Comeback complete at St Marys! Walker-Peters get the equaliser with a finish from a tight angle.


04:41 PM

78 mins: Man City 4 AFC Bournemouth 0 OWN GOAL Lerma

Cancelo drills a shot into the box and Lerma can't sort his feet out and the ball goes in.


04:40 PM

80mins: Wolves 0 Fulham 0 PENALTY SAVED

Mitrovic takes it and it is saved by Sá. The spot-kick was given for a foul on Bobby De Cordova-Reid by Rayan Ait-Nouri.

premier league results live score arsenal leicester man city latest  - REUTERS
premier league results live score arsenal leicester man city latest - REUTERS

04:38 PM

75mins: Arsenal 4 Leicester 2 GOAL Martinelli

Arsenal have done it again. Just after conceding, Arsenal go up the other end again and stretch their lead.

Martinelli starts the move by winning the ball back, he gives it to Jesus, gets the ball back and drills a shot into the bottom corner with his left foot.

Sam Dean at the Emirates:

Leicester are on a mad one today. Score one, concede immediately afterwards. Socre another one, concede immediately afterwards again. Jesus up to two goals and two assists as Martinelli buries a long-range effort.


04:35 PM

74mins: Arsenal 3 Leicester 2 GOAL Maddison

Game on at the Emirates. Maddison from a tight angle smashes a shot through the legs of Ramsdale.

It is not over yet.


04:33 PM

72mins: Southampton 1 Leeds 2 GOAL Aribo

The hosts are back in it at St Mary's. Armstrong does well down the left, crosses into the box for Aribo, who swivels and scores.


04:31 PM

70mins: Break in play

Another drinks break taking place around the ground.

premier league results live score arsenal leicester man city latest - PA
premier league results live score arsenal leicester man city latest - PA

04:27 PM

68mins: Brighton 0 Newcastle 0

Brighton are pushing for a goal. A big block from Burn as he slides in to deny Welbeck from close range.


04:24 PM

60mins: Southampton 0 Leeds 2 GOAL Rodrigo

A double for Rodrigo. Struijk heads across goal and from almost right underneath the crossbar the Spaniard nods the ball home.


04:20 PM

57mins: Arsenal 3 Leicester 1

Arsenal think they should have been given a penalty when Jesus is brought down by Amartey. The ref doesn't give it and Var doesn't think it is a penalty despite replays showing the striker getting a kick on the shins.


04:17 PM

55mins: Arsenal 3 Leicester 1 GOAL Xhaka

Just after reducing the defeicit, Leicester concede again. Ward spills the ball from a White cross, it falls to Xhaka and he taps into the empty net.


04:15 PM

53mins: Arsenal 2 Leicester 1 OWN GOAL Saliba

Under pressure from Vardy, Saliba tries to head the ball back to Ramsdale but heads beyond his keeper into the near post.

premier league results live score arsenal leicester man city latest   - AFP
premier league results live score arsenal leicester man city latest - AFP

04:12 PM

50mins: Man City 3 AFC Bournemouth 0

A change at the break for City - Foden off, Grealish on.

Must be nice to have the options to do that...


04:11 PM

49mins: Brighton 0 Newcastle 0

Big save by Pope. Lallana is six yards out and has a free header but Pope makes an excellent reaction save.


04:09 PM

47mins: Southampton 0 Leeds 1 GOAL Rodrigo

Back-to-back games and goals for Rodrigo. Harrison picks out Rodrigo, who fires in at the near post past Bazunu.


04:04 PM

New Arsenal hero

Jesus scored as many non-penalty goals today as Alex Lacazette managed in the whole of last season.

What an impact!


03:53 PM

HALF TIME Arsenal 2 Leicester 0

Jesus has two goals but could have had more. This Arsenal team means business.


03:52 PM

HALF TIME Man City 3 AFC Bournemouth 0

City have been too good. De Bruyne's goal was the pick of the bunch.


03:52 PM

HALF TIME  Southampton 0 Leeds 0

Leeds lost Bamford to injury and are still adjusting to the loss of their talisman.


03:48 PM

HALF TIME Brighton 0 Newcastle 0

Chances for both sides but deadlock yet to be broken.

premier league results live score arsenal leicester man city latest - AFP
premier league results live score arsenal leicester man city latest - AFP

03:48 PM

HALF TIME Wolves 0 Fulham 0

Level at the break at Molineux. The away side haven't been able to replicate the level they showed last week.


03:44 PM

42mins: Arsenal 2 Leicester 0

Leicester is given a penalty. Vardy goes down after a clash with Ramsdale. Var are having a look.

Ref is going to the monitor and after a look he decides it is NOT a penalty.

Big call at the Emirates.


03:40 PM

37mins: Man City 3 AFC Bournemouth 0 GOAL Foden

City running riot. This time De Bruyne provides the assist for Foden to finish coolly.

This could get ugly for Bournemouth.

premier league results live score arsenal leicester man city latest - REUTERS
premier league results live score arsenal leicester man city latest - REUTERS

03:38 PM

35mins: Arsenal 2 Leicester 0 GOAL Jesus

Martinelli whips in a corner, Vardy inadvertently flicks it on at the far post and Jesus is there at the far post to head in.

What a home debut he is having.


03:35 PM

33mins: Brighton 0 Newcastle 0

Brighton think they have scored when March's effort goes through a crowd and beats Pope but Trippier does great to clear off the line.


03:34 PM

31mins: Man City 2 AFC Bournemouth 0 GOAL De Bruyne

De Bruyne combines with Foden, runs towards the Bournemouth box and curls a low finish into the far corner with the outside of his boot.

Brilliant.


03:31 PM

27mins: Southampton 0 Leeds 0

Great play from Bella-Kotchap as he wins the ball on the halfway line, drives forward and lashes a left-footed shot from distance just wide of the top corner.


03:27 PM

24mins: A break in play

With the extreme heat, the matches are all pausing at the midway point for a drinks break.


03:25 PM

22mins: Arsenal 1 Leicester 0 GOAL Jesus

A home debut for Jesus and a first goal for the club.

From a standing position, the Brazilian controls the ball and curls a sensational shot over Ward.

Sam Dean at the Emirates:

Jesus is up and running. Fantastic goal, curled into the top corner from a standing start.


03:23 PM

20mins: Arsenal 0 Leicester 0

Saka swings in a cross, Xhaka makes a great run to the back post and meets it with his head but the ball strikes the post.


03:21 PM

19mins: Man City 1 AFC Bournemouth 0 GOAL Gundogan

First goal of the day in the Premier League and it comes at the Etihad.

Gundogan buries a shot into the corner after a neat lay off by Haaland. That's the German's 50th goal for City.

premier league results live score arsenal leicester man city latest - GETTY IMAGES
premier league results live score arsenal leicester man city latest - GETTY IMAGES

03:19 PM

16mins: Southampton 0 Leeds 0

Llorente is forced to make a last ditch challenge to deny Armstrong. It goes to Var and replays shows it was a great tackle.


03:15 PM

14mins: Brighton 0 Newcastle 0

Wilson has the ball in the net for the away side but it doesn't count as the referee blows for a foul against him for a high foot.


03:14 PM

12mins: Arsenal 0 Leicester 0

Martinelli whips in a corner, Jesus gets across his man in the six-yard box but can't direct his header on target.


03:10 PM

7mins: Man City 0 AFC Bournemouth 0

City unsurprisingly pushing for an early goal. Bournemouth are struggling to get out of their half.


03:05 PM

3mins: Arsenal 0 Leicester 0

Early chance for the away side. Fofana, a centre back, finds himself in the box and he forces Ramsdale into making a block.


03:02 PM

KICK OFF

Here we go!


02:57 PM

The players are starting to come out onto the pitch

Moments away from kick off around the grounds...


02:51 PM

Most goals against Arsenal in the Premier League

  1. 13 Kane

  2. 12 Rooney

  3. 11 Vardy

  4. 10 Fowler

  5. 9 Firmino, Crouch

premier league results live score arsenal leicester man city latest - GETTY IMAGES
premier league results live score arsenal leicester man city latest - GETTY IMAGES

02:40 PM

Back-to-back defeats for Everton

Goals from Danny Ings and Emi Buendía get Villa off the Premier League mark as Everton lose again.

Click here for post-match reaction from Goodison Park.


02:33 PM

Wolves have a new captain

premier league results live score arsenal leicester man city latest - GETTY IMAGES
premier league results live score arsenal leicester man city latest - GETTY IMAGES

02:24 PM

It is a very warm day in England

premier league results live score arsenal leicester man city latest - AFP
premier league results live score arsenal leicester man city latest - AFP

02:13 PM

Leeds team to face Southampton

Meslier, Kristensen, Koch, Llorente, Struijk, Roca, Adams, Aaronson, Rodrigo, Harrison, Bamford.

Subs: Forshaw, Summerville, Klaesson, James, Sinisterra, Hjelde, Drameh, Greenwood, Klich.


02:12 PM

Southampton team to face Leeds

Bazunu, Walker-Peters, Kotchap, Bednarek, Salisu, Djenepo, Ward-Prowse, Lavia, Stuart Armstrong, Adams, Elyounoussi.

Subs: McCarthy, Lyanco, Stephens, Romeu, Aribo, Adam Armstrong, Mara, Diallo, Valery.


02:11 PM

Fulham team to face Wolves

Rodak, Tete, Adarabioyo, Ream, Robinson, Reed, Joao Palhinha, Kebano, Andreas Pereira, Reid, Mitrovic.

Subs: Diop, Duffy, Cairney, Chalobah, Leno, Rodrigo Muniz, Mbabu, Francois, Stansfield.


02:11 PM

Wolves team to face Fulham

Jose Sa, Jonny, Collins, Kilman, Ait Nouri, Dendoncker, Neves, Daniel Podence, Gibbs-White, Pedro Neto, Hwang.

Subs: Sarkic, Boly, Goncalo Guedes, Nelson Semedo, Gomes, Traore, Cundle, Ronan, Campbell.

premier league results live score arsenal leicester man city latest - GETTY IMAGES
premier league results live score arsenal leicester man city latest - GETTY IMAGES

02:09 PM

Newcastle team to face Brighton

Pope, Trippier, Schar, Burn, Botman, Willock, Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton, Almiron, Wilson, Saint-Maximin.

Subs: Dubravka, Dummett, Lascelles, Ritchie, Manquillo, Wood, Murphy, Anderson, Sean Longstaff.


02:09 PM

Brighton team to face Newcastle

Sanchez, Veltman, Dunk, Webster, March, Gross, Mac Allister, Caicedo, Trossard, Lallana, Welbeck.

Subs: Lamptey, Colwill, Mwepu, Alzate, Sarmiento, Undav, Mitoma, Steele, van Hecke.


02:07 PM

Bournemouth team to face Man City

Travers, Lerma, Mepham, Kelly, Smith, Pearson, Cook, Stacey, Tavernier, Christie, Moore.

Subs: Senesi, Marcondes, Neto, Lowe, Stanislas, Hill, Billing, Anthony, Dembele.


02:07 PM

Man City team to face Bournemouth

Ederson, Walker, Dias, Ake, Joao Cancelo, De Bruyne, Rodri, Gundogan, Mahrez, Haaland, Foden.

Subs: Stones, Grealish, Ortega, Alvarez, Bernardo Silva, Mbete-Tabu, Lewis, Wilson-Esbrand, Delap.

premier league results live score arsenal leicester man city latest - GETTY IMAGES
premier league results live score arsenal leicester man city latest - GETTY IMAGES

02:05 PM

Leicester team to face Arsenal

Ward, Fofana, Evans, Amartey, Castagne, Tielemans, Ndidi, Dewsbury-Hall, Justin, Maddison, Vardy.

Subs: Soyuncu, Albrighton, Iheanacho, Perez, Daka, Mendy, Praet, Iversen, Thomas.


02:02 PM

Arsenal team to face Leicester

Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Partey, Xhaka; Saka, Ødegaard, Martinelli; Jesus.

Subs: Turner, Tierney, Tomiyasu, Holding, Elneny, Lokonga, Smith Rowe, Pepe, Nketiah


02:01 PM

Team news is starting to arrive

Starting line-ups from all the games coming up...


01:55 PM

Good afternoon

Hello and welcome to coverage from across the grounds in the Premier League leading with Arsenal's clash with Leicester City at the Emirates.

Arsenal made an impressive start to the season last week, beating Crystal Palace. One of the stars for Arsenal was William Saliba, who is the latest youngster to come into the team and Mikel Arteta has accepted that young players such as Saliba will make mistakes this season, and insisted that he is ready to “pay the bill” for those errors as they continue to develop as a team.

Arsenal were once again the youngest team in the Premier League in the opening round of fixtures, having also been the youngest side in the division throughout last season.

“With the young and development portfolio of players that we have in our squad, you have to pay a bill,” said Arteta about the risk of Saliba, only 21, inevitably making errors this season.

“And that bill is that, at some stage, they are going to make mistakes, they are going to experience things for the first time and they have to go through that process.”

Meanwhile, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola insists he is happy with his squad despite just 21 senior players and only 14 outfield players available for today’s visit of Bournemouth, with Aymeric Laporte and Kalvin Phillips out injured and Cole Palmer a doubt.

“I'm very very pleased with the team - it is not big in terms of numbers but there is incredible versatility and they all have huge quality - even the young academy lads,” he said.

“The quality is there, they just have to push each other to the next step this season. If nobody moves, I think nobody's coming in.”

The only possible major departure could be Bernardo Silva, still a target for Barcelona, although Guardiola is desperate for him to stay.

“I want Bernardo here, 100, 110 per cent I want him to stay,” said Guardiola.

“I love him. I go weak when I talk about him! He is a special person with how. I don’t know what is going to happen but he knows how much we like him and want him and love him.”