Leicester City vs Arsenal, 2024-25 English Premier League
· English Premier LeagueMikel Merino nets late double as Arsenal beat Leicester 2-0
Midfielder Mikel Merino scored two late goals to keep Arsenal's Premier League title hopes alive with a 2-0 victory at Leicester City on Saturday, after the Spaniard was thrust into a makeshift centre-forward role by his club's injury crisis up front.
Match Timeline
- 0': Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
- 0': First Half begins.
- 9': Attempt saved. Leandro Trossard (Arsenal) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Martin Ødegaard with a through ball.
- 10': Attempt saved. Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
- 13': Attempt missed. Thomas Partey (Arsenal) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
- 14': Foul by Jurriën Timber (Arsenal).
- 14': Jordan Ayew (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 16': Attempt missed. Declan Rice (Arsenal) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Ethan Nwaneri with a cross.
- 17': Foul by Caleb Okoli (Leicester City).
- 17': Leandro Trossard (Arsenal) wins a free kick on the right wing.
- 21': Offside, Arsenal. Raheem Sterling is caught offside.
- 22': Offside, Arsenal. Leandro Trossard is caught offside.
- 22': Foul by Thomas Partey (Arsenal).
- 22': Jordan Ayew (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
- 23': Foul by Thomas Partey (Arsenal).
- 23': Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 25': Delay in match because of an injury James Justin (Leicester City).
- 27': Delay over. They are ready to continue.
- 27': Foul by William Saliba (Arsenal).
- 27': Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 28': Foul by Caleb Okoli (Leicester City).
- 28': Leandro Trossard (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 29': Offside, Arsenal. Leandro Trossard is caught offside.
- 30': Offside, Arsenal. Raheem Sterling is caught offside.
- 35': Attempt blocked. Raheem Sterling (Arsenal) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
- 35': Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Wout Faes.
- 41': Bobby De Cordova-Reid (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 41': Foul by Raheem Sterling (Arsenal).
- 42': Delay in match because of an injury James Justin (Leicester City).
- 43': Delay over. They are ready to continue.
- 43': Substitution, Leicester City. Woyo Coulibaly replaces James Justin because of an injury.
- 45': Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Wout Faes.
- 45'+1': Fourth official has announced 4 minutes of added time.
- 45'+3': Attempt blocked. Bilal El Khannouss (Leicester City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jamie Vardy.
- 45'+4': Attempt missed. Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Victor Kristiansen with a cross.
- 45'+5': First Half ends, Leicester City 0, Arsenal 0.
- 45': Second Half begins Leicester City 0, Arsenal 0.
- 46': Foul by Bilal El Khannouss (Leicester City).
- 46': Thomas Partey (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 46': Bilal El Khannouss (Leicester City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
- 48': Foul by Jordan Ayew (Leicester City).
- 48': Thomas Partey (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 51': Foul by William Saliba (Arsenal).
- 51': Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 52': Offside, Leicester City. Bobby De Cordova-Reid is caught offside.
- 53': Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Wilfred Ndidi.
- 53': Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Victor Kristiansen.
- 55': Boubakary Soumaré (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 55': Foul by Declan Rice (Arsenal).
- 55': Foul by Caleb Okoli (Leicester City).
- 55': Jurriën Timber (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 57': Foul by Jordan Ayew (Leicester City).
- 57': Jurriën Timber (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 57': Jordan Ayew (Leicester City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
- 58': Attempt blocked. Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Gabriel Magalhães.
- 59': Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Wilfred Ndidi.
- 59': Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Caleb Okoli.
- 60': Caleb Okoli (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 60': Foul by Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal).
- 61': Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal) hits the bar with a left footed shot from outside the box. Assisted by Martin Ødegaard following a fast break.
- 62': Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Declan Rice.
- 65': Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal) wins a free kick on the right wing.
- 65': Foul by Victor Kristiansen (Leicester City).
- 66': Attempt blocked. Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Raheem Sterling.
- 67': Attempt saved. Bobby De Cordova-Reid (Leicester City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
- 68': Foul by Bobby De Cordova-Reid (Leicester City).
- 68': William Saliba (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
- 69': Substitution, Arsenal. Mikel Merino replaces Raheem Sterling.
- 73': Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Myles Lewis-Skelly.
- 75': Substitution, Leicester City. Stephy Mavididi replaces Jordan Ayew.
- 75': Substitution, Arsenal. Jorginho replaces Thomas Partey.
- 76': Substitution, Arsenal. Riccardo Calafiori replaces Myles Lewis-Skelly.
- 76': Attempt saved. Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Declan Rice.
- 76': Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Wout Faes.
- 77': Foul by Leandro Trossard (Arsenal).
- 77': Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 81': Goal! Leicester City 0, Arsenal 1. Mikel Merino (Arsenal) header from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Ethan Nwaneri with a cross.
- 84': Delay in match because of an injury Boubakary Soumaré (Leicester City).
- 85': Delay over. They are ready to continue.
- 85': Substitution, Leicester City. Patson Daka replaces Wilfred Ndidi.
- 85': Substitution, Leicester City. Facundo Buonanotte replaces Bobby De Cordova-Reid.
- 86': Foul by Jorginho (Arsenal).
- 86': Stephy Mavididi (Leicester City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
- 86': Jorginho (Arsenal) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
- 87': Goal! Leicester City 0, Arsenal 2. Mikel Merino (Arsenal) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Leandro Trossard with a cross following a fast break.
- 89': Substitution, Arsenal. Kieran Tierney replaces Leandro Trossard.
- 90': Attempt missed. Facundo Buonanotte (Leicester City) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Bilal El Khannouss with a cross.
- 90': Fourth official has announced 4 minutes of added time.
- 90'+1': Declan Rice (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 90'+1': Foul by Facundo Buonanotte (Leicester City).
- 90'+2': Attempt saved. Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
- 90'+2': Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Jurriën Timber.
- 90'+4': Delay in match because of an injury Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal).
- 90'+4': Delay over. They are ready to continue.
- 90'+4': Attempt blocked. Stephy Mavididi (Leicester City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Bilal El Khannouss.
- 90'+5': Second Half ends, Leicester City 0, Arsenal 2.
- 0': Match ends, Leicester City 0, Arsenal 2.
Statistics
 ARS |
LEI |
|
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Fouls | 9 |
| 1 | Yellow Cards | 2 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
| 4 | Offsides | 1 |
| 7 | Corner Kicks | 3 |
| 2 | Saves | 3 |
| 60.3 | Possession | 39.7 |
| 11 | SHOTS | 6 |
| 5 | ON GOAL | 2 |
| 0.5 | On Target % | 0.3 |
| 0 | Penalty Goals | 0 |
| 0 | Penalty Kicks Taken | 0 |
| 420 | Accurate Passes | 230 |
| 491 | Passes | 321 |
| 0.9 | Pass Completion % | 0.7 |
| 4 | Accurate Crosses | 7 |
| 18 | Crosses | 16 |
| 0.2 | Cross % | 0.4 |
| 33 | Long Balls | 55 |
| 15 | Accurate Long Balls | 13 |
| 0.5 | Long Balls % | 0.2 |
| 3 | Blocked Shots | 2 |
| 11 | Effective Tackles | 13 |
| 15 | Tackles | 23 |
| 0.7 | Tackle % | 0.6 |
| 5 | Interceptions | 7 |
| 22 | Effective Clearances | 27 |
| 22 | Clearances | 27 |
Game Information
Competition: English Premier League
Venue: King Power Stadium
Location: Leicester, England
Attendance: 31,968
Venue: King Power Stadium
Location: Leicester, England
Attendance: 31,968
Premier League Table
| # | TEAM | GP | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 32 | +43 | 76 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 33 | +34 | 66 |
| 3 | Newcastle United | 33 | +18 | 59 |
| 4 | Manchester City | 33 | +22 | 58 |
Line-Ups
Leicester City (4-2-3-1)
| No. | Name |
|---|---|
| 30 | Mads Hermansen (GK) |
| 5 | Caleb Okoli |
| 3 | Wout Faes |
| 16 | Victor Kristiansen |
| 2 | James Justin |
| 11 | Bilal El Khannouss  |
| 24 | Boubakary Soumaré |
| 6 | Wilfred Ndidi |
| 9 | Jamie Vardy |
| 18 | Jordan Ayew |
| 14 | Bobby De Cordova-Reid |
Arsenal (4-3-3)
| No. | Name |
|---|---|
| 22 | David Raya (GK) |
| 6 | Gabriel Magalhães |
| 2 | William Saliba |
| 49 | Myles Lewis-Skelly |
| 12 | Jurriën Timber |
| 5 | Thomas Partey |
| 41 | Declan Rice |
| 8 | Martin Ødegaard |
| 19 | Leandro Trossard |
| 30 | Raheem Sterling |
| 53 | Ethan Nwaneri |
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