LONDON — Arsenal roared back to beat Leeds 2-1 and pull level with Manchester City at the top of the English Premier League on Saturday, hitting the ground running after the three-week international break.
Mikel Arteta’s champions struggled to impose themselves against well-organised opponents in the first half but found their mojo after half-time to make it five wins from six games this season.
Defender James Justin gave Leeds a deserved lead early in the second half at the Emirates, silencing the home crowd in the October sunshine.
But Arsenal were level minutes later through Riccardo Calafiori, and substitute Bruno Guimaraes scored what turned out to be the winner after a finely crafted team goal.
The focus returned to the pitch on Saturday after the bombshell announcement that City had been found guilty of more than 100 breaches of Premier League financial rules.
But Arsenal, who had a perfect record before their 3-0 defeat by Brighton last month, struggled to break down Daniel Farke’s physical team in the first half.
Noni Madueke, overlooked by Thomas Tuchel for England’s most recent squad, was handed a rare start on the left of the Gunners’ attack in place of the injured Christos Tzolis.
But neither he nor Bukayo Saka on the other flank had much joy against a defence that had conceded just three league goals all season.
Leeds had a couple of half-chances late in the first half, AFP reported.
First, Jayden Bogle and Anton Stach got in each other’s way as Stach struck the ball against his teammate, and Bogle was denied from close range by Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya, who was out quickly to smother his shot.
Then Raya got down smartly to keep out a shot from Leeds defender Gabriel Gudmundsson from a tight angle.
Arsenal managed just one shot on target in the whole of the first half but the game opened up after the break, with chances at both ends.
Impressive Leeds midfielder Ao Tanaka forced Raya to tip over before Justin put his side ahead in the 55th minute, finishing sweetly from just inside the box after a Gudmundsson cross following a well-worked move down the left.
Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes got a touch with his head but failed to keep the ball out of the net.
But the Gunners were back level just seven minutes later when the unmarked Calafiori finished past England international goalkeeper James Trafford after being set up by Ben White.
Worse was to come for Leeds when Guimaraes finished powerfully after some neat play down the Arsenal left, with Saka, Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice all involved.
The win takes Arsenal to 15 points, behind leaders City on goal difference.
Enzo Maresca’s City, with a game in hand, are braced for a hostile reception at Liverpool on Sunday following the announcement of their guilty verdict last week.
