Player ratings as Bukayo Saka fires Gunners back to the top of the table

From Elland Road – Arsenal moved back to the top of the Premier League table with a 1-0 win at Leeds on Sunday afternoon.

The only goal of the game arrived ten minutes before the break as Bukayo Saka latched onto a bemusing cross-field ball from Rodrigo and exchanged passes with Martin Odegaard before smashing high beyond Illan Meslier.

The game itself began in bizarre fashion as just 180 seconds had passed when it was stopped due to an electrical fault, which cut out numerous platforms such as VAR and Hawk-eye. The game was suspended for 40 minutes before resuming.

Once underway it was Leeds who showed some early promise with the recalled Luis Sinisterra firing just wide on two occasions.

Arsenal came close on 22 minutes as Odegaard teed up Gabriel Jesus with a sumptuous flick, but from the wide angle the Brazilian could only fire over.

Then from a similar position, little over 10 minutes later, Saka made no mistake as he fired home after great work from Odegaard – although Rodrigo’s ill-judged pass was so dreadful he was subbed for Patrick Bamford at the interval.

Just 30 seconds into the second half and Bamford thought he had levelled matters. Marc Roca delivered a dangerous ball into the box and Bamford battled for the ball before firing home. But referee Chris Kavanagh adjudged Bamford to have used his arm, VAR backed up his ruling but it looked an incredibly harsh decision.

The introduction of Bamford though, made a huge difference. After his disallowed goal, he was sent clear twice again – only to be denied by Aaron Ramsdale in the away goal.

Again Bamford was involved as Leeds won a penalty on the hour mark as William Saliba was ruled to have handled the ball – after Kavanagh consulted VAR on the sideline. The Leeds striker was given the chance to level the game, but fired his effort wide.

Bamford and Leeds continued to cause problems for Arsenal as the visitors sat deeper and deeper, and it was again the half-time substitute who was at the centre of yet more controversy.

Three minutes into added time, Bamford ran into Gabriel, who reacted by kicking out – Kavanagh gave Gabriel a straight red and a penalty. But then when called over by VAR – the decision was overturned and Gabriel only given a yellow.

After all the dramatics the Gunners held firm in the final minutes to grab the win and go back to top of the table. For Leeds another defeat means they are still without a win since August, and firmly entrenched in the Premier League relegation battle.