3 winners and 2 losers from Arsenal's 2-1 win over Leeds

Arsenal needed the wake-up call of going behind to a James Justin goal before the Premier League champions flexed their muscles to beat Leeds United 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium. The biggest flex came from midfielder Bruno Guimarães, who provided some Brazilian magic to settle a surprisingly tough game in the Gunners' favour after Riccardo Calafiori had netted the equaliser.

Guimarães made a slow, injury-disrupted start to his Arsenal career, but he's starting to show the forward-thinking flair this team needs. The Gunners need Bruno's quality because manager Mikel Arteta still insists on letting Kai Havertz lead the line up front, no matter how often Viktor Gyökeres tries to impress.

Havertz couldn't carry the load up top, so Calafiori's left-back turned centre-forward act became more valuable than usual.

3 winners and 2 losers from Arsenal's 2-1 win over Leeds

Winner #1: Bruno Guimarães

Eyebrows were understandably raised when Arsenal paid £75 million for a 29-year-old midfielder who'd largely played in a deep-lying role for Newcastle United. Lost amid any angst about the price tag was Guimarães' enduring ability as one of the most technically proficient playmakers in England's top flight.

He offered the ideal reminder of his technique with the calm, sidefoot finish to cap a gloriously elaborate move. It wasn't as eye-catching as Guimarães' spectacular strike at Sunderland before the international break, but he kept his nerve when it counted.

The sequence of passes before the finish was the perfect tribute to Arteta's former boss Arsène Wenger, the proud purveyor of attacking football purity finally getting long-overdue credit for the way he stuck to his broader principles.

Wenger will surely allow himself a wry smille when he watches this goal back, but the smile will be shared by Arteta and Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta. They refused to be limited by age profiles and paid up to sign a true gem in Guimarães to improve an attack still needing extra inspiration.

Loser #1: Kai Havertz

Havertz is the manager's favourite. There's no need to softball that fact anymore. Yet there is a need to start asking why Havertz gets the start so often when he's not a natural finisher, and nor does he have the pace to truly stretch defences.

Without those things, the Gunners were pedestrian and predictable in attack. A physical and well-drilled Leeds team took full advantage.

This is becoming a worrying trend for Arsenal's Havertz-led forward line. He couldn't make a dent at Brighton before the break, and Havertz was decidedly a yard behind the rest during the 60 or so minutes he was given against Leeds.

Arteta wisely gave Havertz the hook eventually, but a cameo for Gyökeres has to be the start of something more moving forward.

Winner #2: Viktor Gyökeres

Gyökeres doesn't press the same way as Havertz, but he's a more credible source of more goals. Those goals were an underrated part of the Gunners' late surge to last season's title, so Arteta has good reason to bring Gyökeres in from the cold.

It will mean making some changes up top. Like getting a versatile wide forward to play closer to Gyökeres in central areas, the way Eberechi Eze did in key moments during the 2025/6 campaign.

Giving Gyökeres some help and putting the ball in early will get him back among the goals at club level. It's a necessary change Arteta should make for a player who's a bigger goal threat than a potential era-redefining transfer target.

Not doing so will start to look like a damaging stubborn streak from the boss.

Loser #2: Mikel Arteta

Arteta's decision to start Havertz, despite recent injury concerns, made it look like the manager won't budge from his preferred plans even when there are risks involved. The refusal to let anyone other than Havertz start up top looks worse given how prolific Gyökeres was on international duty.

It's a tricky dilemma for Arteta. He has his system and the players who suit it best, but the system can't become a sacred cow when some of its personnel might undermine the overall team in crucial ways.

If the Gunners don't score enough goals, they'll come up short in the title race. Then it won't matter how intelligently Havertz leads the press. Nor how he plays against left-footed goalkeepers.

Winner #3: Riccardo Calafiori

Calafiori's no longer just another left-back. He's fast becoming an integral part of Arsenal's goalscoring capabilities.

The Italian confirmed his value by being in the right spot at the right time to prod in the equaliser.

He's been getting into centre-forward positions all season, but this was a true goal-hanger's finish. Not many defenders have the instincts to be where the best chances will occur, but Calafiori has the knack.

The uncomfortable truth here is how a defender is arguably Arsenal's most reliable asset in the final third. Calafiori's runs and eye for goal will remain invaluable, but Arteta can't ignore how much of a chore the Gunners are starting to make of finding the net.

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