Pain in the Arsenal
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Arsenal Vs Leeds United: 5 things we learned – Mikel Arteta turns tide

By Andrew Dowdeswell

LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 06: Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal (L) applauds the fans following his side's victory during the FA Cup Third Round match between Arsenal FC and Leeds United at the Emirates Stadium on January 06, 2020 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 06: Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal (L) applauds the fans following his side's victory during the FA Cup Third Round match between Arsenal FC and Leeds United at the Emirates Stadium on January 06, 2020 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 06: Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal (L) applauds the fans following his side’s victory during the FA Cup Third Round match between Arsenal FC and Leeds United at the Emirates Stadium on January 06, 2020 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 06: Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal (L) applauds the fans following his side’s victory during the FA Cup Third Round match between Arsenal FC and Leeds United at the Emirates Stadium on January 06, 2020 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) /

On Monday night, Arsenal hosted Leeds United in the third round of the FA Cup. Here are five things we learned from the 1-0 victory.

Well, in Arsenal’s first FA Cup outing of the season, they seemingly forgot that they would have to turn up to beat the Championship leaders, Leeds United. For 45 minutes, the Gunners reverted to the Unai Emery dissonance of confusion and befuddlement. Then Mikel Arteta had 15 minutes to chew them out and they looked like a completely different team, Reiss Nelson eventually bundling home the only goal of the game.

Find the latest episode of the Pain in the Arsenal Podcast here — Mikel Guardiola or Pep Arteta?

Here are five things we learned from the 1-0 victory.

LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 06: An Emirates FA Cup board is displayed pitch-side prior to the FA Cup Third Round match between Arsenal FC and Leeds United at the Emirates Stadium on January 06, 2020 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 06: An Emirates FA Cup board is displayed pitch-side prior to the FA Cup Third Round match between Arsenal FC and Leeds United at the Emirates Stadium on January 06, 2020 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) /

5. Mikel Arteta wants to win the FA Cup

After a packed festive schedule and a new high-intensity, high-pressing scheme that caught out the players unfit and unprepared, I had expected Mikel Arteta to heavily rotate his team, providing plenty of rest for some of the players that he has used extensively in recent weeks. I was wrong.

Arteta played close to a full-strength team. Ainsley Maitland-Niles was rested at right-back, Lucas Torreira was also rested in midfield, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang missed out through illness. There was also the customary goalkeeper switch, though that is hardly for rest reasons. But other than these small changes, Arteta went strong.

Prior to the match, Arteta stated that he wanted to win the FA Cup as it instils a winning culture in the squad. He backed those words up with his team selection. His fist-pumping reaction at the final whistle was impassioned also. Arteta wanted to win this match and wants to win this competition.