Arsenal’s first clear chance came 15 minutes in when Gabriel Martinelli found himself in a promising position. However, it seemed like he lacked confidence using his right foot, as he attempted to switch to his left, allowing Leicester’s defense enough time to close him down.
Just five minutes later, Martinelli redeemed himself. This time, he didn’t hesitate, hitting the ball with his right foot from the center of the box. Although he scuffed the shot, it managed to trickle into the corner of the net, giving Arsenal the lead. This was Martinelli’s first goal of the season, and the hope is that it will boost his confidence moving forward.
Arsenal maintained the pressure, dominating possession and earning several corners, but they struggled to break through Leicester’s well-organized, physical defense. The Foxes weren’t shy about putting in tough challenges, leading to a few yellow cards. Just ten minutes before half-time, Kai Havertz had a chance with a flying header that narrowly missed the target.
Despite five first-half corners, Arsenal couldn’t capitalize, as Leicester packed the six-yard box, giving Gabriel no room to maneuver. The half was relatively uneventful, but just before the break, Martinelli found space on the left wing. He delivered a perfect ball to Leandro Trossard, who made no mistake, doubling Arsenal’s lead right before the halftime whistle. It had been all one-way traffic, and at this point, it seemed Leicester had no way back into the game.
However, the second half began with a twist. Just one minute in, Leicester launched an attack, and William Saliba fouled Jamie Vardy, earning a booking for pulling him back. From the resulting free-kick, Leicester equalized after a header deflected off Gabriel’s shoulder, leaving Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya helpless. Suddenly, the game was wide open again.
Arsenal quickly resumed control, with Bukayo Saka delivering a dangerous corner that found Gabriel, whose header was denied by a brilliant save from the Leicester goalkeeper, Hermansen.
Five minutes later, Trossard was set up beautifully by Saka, but once again, Hermansen pulled off a fantastic save to keep Leicester in the game.
For much of the second half, Arsenal dominated possession, but the Foxes began to grow into the match around the hour mark. Facundo Buonanotte made a strong run down the left wing, although his shot didn’t trouble Raya.
However, Leicester’s growing confidence was evident, and they shocked Arsenal with a stunning volley from Jossie, leveling the score at 2-2 with 25 minutes left.
Arsenal pushed hard to regain the lead, but missed a few opportunities from corners. Havertz found himself in a good position, turned well, but fired his shot straight at Hermansen, who made another vital save. Arsenal continued to press and earned their 11th corner of the game with 18 minutes remaining, only for Gabriel’s header to be blocked once more.
Leicester’s goalkeeper made a poor clearance shortly after, gifting possession to Declan Rice, who set up Trossard for another golden opportunity. However, Hermansen made amends for his earlier mistake, denying Trossard yet again. Leicester attempted a speculative shot through Wilfred Ndidi from a tight angle, which was their fifth effort compared to Arsenal’s 29, but the score remained tied as the clock ticked down.
In the dying moments, Saka tried one of his signature moves, cutting inside from the right, only to be fouled on the edge of the box. However, the referee waved play on, a decision that will surely spark debate.
Mikel Arteta brought on Ethan Nwaneri for the final five minutes, and the young player almost made an instant impact, nearly scoring as Arsenal increased the tempo.
Arsenal earned one final corner, and Luca Calafiori rose for what looked like a perfect header, but once again, Hermansen was there to make the crucial save, securing the 2-2 draw for Leicester. Despite Arsenal’s overwhelming dominance, they couldn’t find the winner, and the points were shared.
