LEEDS, Dec 19: Injury-hit Leeds slumped to its second alarming loss in five days, 4-1 at home to Arsenal in the only English Premier League match to take place on Saturday because of a wave of pandemic-affected postponements.
The match was marred by an allegation of racial abuse from a spectator toward Arsenal’s players. It was reported to officials by Arsenal, manager Mikel Arteta said.
Coming off a 7-0 thrashing at Manchester City on Tuesday, Leeds – down to nine senior players and with a 15-year-old on the bench amid an injury crisis – was ripped apart in the first half as Gabriel Martinelli scored twice and Bukayo Saka added another.
Leeds even lost another player, Jack Harrison, to injury before halftime and manager Marcelo Bielsa had his head bowed as he walked back to the dressing rooms.
The home side was better organized in the second half and managed a consolation when Raphinha converted a penalty after 19-year-old striker Joe Gelhardt was tripped by Ben White.
Substitute Emile Smith Rowe’s 84th-minute goal, after he was played through by Martin Odegaard, piled on the misery for Leeds, which is five points above the relegation zone having played three games more than third-to-last Burnley.
Arsenal consolidated fourth place in the race for Champions League qualification and is four points above fifth-place West Ham.
Arteta said the incident of alleged racial abuse happened in the first half.
Arteta said it was a “single person” who aimed the alleged abuse apparently toward one of Arsenal’s substitutes. “Very disappointed because we have done so much in football to try to avoid it,” he said, “but it is a single person. I don’t think that merits that a full stadium pays the price.’’
Meanwhile, Premier League leader Manchester City made it 11 goals in two games by sweeping aside struggling Newcastle 4-0 on Sunday.
Ruben Dias and Joao Cancelo scored before the break, and Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling netted in the second half. Newcastle has now won just one of its 18 league games this season and is only above last-place Norwich on goal difference.
Having been repeatedly punished for their own mistakes in recent games, the Magpies set out with a makeshift back four and knowing there was no margin for error against the reigning champions, but capitulated in depressing fashion within five minutes.
Goalkeeper Martin Dubravka needlessly conceded a corner after dwelling on Jamaal Lascelles’ back pass. After Kevin De Bruyne’s initial delivery had been half cleared, Ciaran Clark failed to intervene when Cancelo played the ball back across the six-yard box and Dias headed into the unguarded net.
Newcastle looked vulnerable with Bernardo Silva and De Bruyne picking holes in the defense. Cancelo combined with De Bruyne and Mahrez before leaving Joe Willock and Isaac Hayden in his wake and smashing a 27th-minute shot past the helpless Dubravka.
Ryan Fraser saw appeals for a penalty waved away by referee Martin Atkinson after he had been wiped out by sliding City goalkeeper Ederson.
City added a third in the 63rd minute when Mahrez converted Oleksandr Zinchenko’s cross with a VAR review correcting an initial offside decision, and Sterling’s strike from Gabriel Jesus’ 86th-minute cross deepened the gloom on Tyneside. (AP)
