Overview
Arsenal will find a way to pull back the winning streak in the Premier League title race when playing away at Elland Road of the reviving Leeds United.
Mikel Arteta's team still leads the table with a 4-point gap. However, that gap could have been easier if their journey to conquer their first domestic title after 22 years had not been continuously bumpy in recent times.
After a dramatic 2-3 defeat to Manchester United last weekend, Arsenal has not won 3 consecutive rounds in the Premier League (2 draws, 1 loss).
Since December 2023, Arsenal has never lost 2 consecutive matches in the league. And they will have reason to be confident when facing an opponent they are "catching". The Gunners have won all 6 recent encounters in the Premier League with a total score of 20-5. This is also Arsenal's longest winning streak in history against Leeds, including the 5-0 destruction in the first leg in August last year at the Emirates.
Head-to-head statistics continue to support the away team. Arsenal have scored 4 or more goals in 8 Premier League matches against Leeds - only less than the number of matches they have done this against Everton (12). At Elland Road, Arsenal is unbeaten in the last 6 away games (4 wins, 2 draws), including 3 4-1 victories.
If in the Premier League the progress shows signs of slowing down, then in the Champions League Arsenal shows a completely different face. Although Arteta rotated up to 11 positions against bottom-ranked Kairat, a 3-2 victory is still enough to help Arsenal maintain the top spot in the group stage with a record of 8/8 wins.
Leeds also has a "golden memory" when they once defeated Arsenal at Elland Road in November 2000 thanks to Olivier Dacourt's touch-and-turn free kick, sealing a 1-0 victory for David O'Leary's team.
A quarter of a century has passed, Leeds under Daniel Farke is showing new vitality. They have just escaped the relegation zone after a streak of only 1/10 defeats in the last 10 matches in the Premier League (3 wins, 6 draws). Since the beginning of December, no team has lost less than Leeds. At home, Leeds is also unbeaten in 5 consecutive matches, their longest streak in the Premier League since March-May 2021 (6 matches - 3 wins, 3 draws).
However, Elland Road is a "blind spot" every time Leeds meets the leading team. They have never won at home against the Premier League leaders (7 draws, 7 losses). When hosting Arsenal at home in this tournament, Leeds also lost all 3 of their last matches.
In terms of force, the hope of improving Leeds' attack is strengthened thanks to the return of Welsh winger Daniel James after injury. Defender Gabriel Gudmundsson is also ready to reappear, although Farke may not want to shuffle too strongly when the squad is in stable form.
On Arsenal's side, after rotation in the middle of the week, Arteta is expected to field a squad similar to the match against Man United. Kai Havertz scored in his first start in nearly a year, playing the first 45 minutes against Kairat. Riccardo Calafiori also returned after injury and played in the first half of that match.
Notably, Declan Rice can reach the milestone of 300 matches in the Premier League in this confrontation. If he takes the field, at the age of 27 and 17 days, Rice will become the fifth youngest player to reach the milestone of 300 matches, after Wayne Rooney, James Milner, Gareth Barry and Raheem Sterling.
Head-to-head record
As mentioned, Arsenal is on their longest winning streak against Leeds in the Premier League, winning all six recent encounters with a total score of 20-5.
Since the 5-0 overwhelming victory in August at the Emirates Stadium, the "Gunners" continue to show overwhelming attack against Leeds. They have scored 4 or more goals in 8 different Premier League matches against this opponent.
Score prediction: Leeds 1-3 Arsenal
The match between Leeds and Arsenal takes place at 10:00 PM on January 31st (Vietnam time).
