Arsenal 4 Leicester 3 as it happened: Goals galore on breathless opening night of the Premier League season
Follow all the live action from the opening fixture of the Premier League
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Your support makes all the difference.Opening day is always tense in the Premier League - and this will be no exception. Arsenal have only managed to win one league opener since 2011, and following a disappointing finish last season, Wenger will be hoping to dim early calls for his resignation by starting with a win.
Without Champions League football and with the Arsenal manager admitting the Europa League will play second fiddle to the Premier League, anything but a top-four finish will be inexcusable for Arsenal this season, so picking up the full three points will be vital.
On the other hand, Leicester will be hoping to build off their strong end to last season by putting in a solid performance against a tough opponent. A draw wouldn’t be too disappointing for them, especially against a top six club, but no doubt they will have their eyes on a top-half finish this season.
Manager Craig Shakespeare has already outlined his ambitions for the season, saying that just hitting the 40 point margin isn’t enough and that Leicester “have to aim higher.” So a win against Arsenal will be in the back of all the Leicester player’s minds.
The league opener will also be a big test for Leicester strikers Jamie Vardy and Shinji Okazaki. With new signing Ihenacho likely to be on the bench after picking up a knock, and Islam Slimani not fully fit, Vardy and Okazaki will be vying to show their manager why they should spearhead Leicester’s campaign this season.
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What time does it start and where can I watch it?
Arsenal and Leicester kick off the 2017/18 Premier League season at 19:45 on Friday 11 August. You can watch the match on Sky Sports from 19:00 or catch the highlights on BBC One’s Match of the Day this Saturday at 22:30.
It’s a big game for…
Leicester manager Craig Shakespeare. It’s his first competitive game in charge since taking over full time in June and with key defenders Robert Huth and West Morgan both injured, as well as star striker Kelechi Iheanacho both not match fit, Shakespeare will have some big decisions to make when rotating his squad.
Best stat…
1: The number of games Arsenal have won on opening day since 2010.
Remember when…
Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez went in the book after receiving a throw in to the face from Leicester’s Christian Fuchs.
Player to watch…
Arsenal’s club-record signing Alexandre Lacazette will be the one to watch. The Frenchman, who bagged 28 for Lyon last season, will be hoping to make his first Premier League start on Friday. The £52m striker showed promise on Sunday in the Community Shield where he saw his shot ricochet off the post. He will no doubt be hoping to build on that this Friday.
Past three-meetings…
Arsenal 1 (Huth OG) Leicester 0, Premier League, April 2016
Arsenal 0 Leicester 0, Premier League, February 2016
Arsenal 2 (Walcott, Welbeck) Leicester 1 (Vardy), Premier League, February 2016
Form guide…
Arsenal: WWWWWW
Leicester: LWWLLD
Odds…
Arsenal to win: 21/50
Leicester to win:19/5
Draw: 6/1
(Odds provided by 888 Sport)
56 mins: GOAL! ARSENAL 2 LEICESTER 3:
Leicester scored during Arsenal's best spell of the game in the first half, and now they've scored during their own best spell in the second! Jamie Vardy has two for the night and the Foxes have three! Arsenal thought they had done the hard work when Petr Cech tipped over Riyad Mahrez's long shot, but from the Algerian's resulting right-wing corner, Vardy got up highest at the near post to flick a header towards the far. Out of position and out of sorts, the home defence couldn't recover and the ball nestled in the back of the net to spark wild scenes of celebration in the away section.
62 mins: Superb football, superb save! A patient, possession game from the Gunners nearly paid dividends as Welbeck slipped in the overlapping Hector Bellerin on the right, but Kasper Schmeichel was out like a shot to block the shot of the Spanish defender.
Arsene Wenger's team lacked a leader in midfield and a dominant centre-half that day, if I recall.
67 mins: A double change for Arsenal halfway through the second half. Aaron Ramsey and Aaron Ramsey are on as Mohamed Elneny and Rob Holding go off. Yes, that's Rob Holding who...
The bizarre switch in formation and personnel hasn't been lost on our very own Jack de Menezes...
...and he doesn't even like football.
72 mins: Leicester respond to Arsenal's bizarre tactical switch with one of their own. In fairness, it makes much more sense. Shinji Okazaki has run himself into the ground as a foil for Jamie Vardy, and he will sit out the final 18 minutes as Daniel Amartey's comes on to cover the gap between midfield and defence.
74 mins: It usually takes me 75 minutes to notice when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is playing so the former Southampton man is showing some enthusiasm for the new season by coming to the party a minute early. The youngster (Checks Google...23!) arrows a shot across goal, but a slight deflection takes it agonisingly wide of the far post. Seconds later, Ozil thumps a volley into the side netting. Can Arsenal find an equaliser?
83 mins: GOAL! ARSENAL 3 LEICESTER 3:
Celebrities beware! Aaron Ramsey is off the bench and among the goals! The substitute has dragged Arsenal level with an arrowed drive across Kasper Schmeichel after brilliantly taking down Granit Xhaka's lofted pass on his right foot once the Swiss midfielder had kept play alive following the breakdown of a corner. There are seven minutes to play, can Arsenal go on and find an unlikely winner?
85 mins: GOAL! ARSENAL 4 LEICESTER 3:
Arsenal have done it! It's the other substitute, Olivier Giroud, who has headed Arsenal in front for the first time since the fifth minute! Leicester nerves finally got the better of them and when Kasper Schmeichel flicked Alexandre Lacazette's deflected effort over the crossbar, that only alleviated the inevitable. Granit Xhaka's corner swung out from the right towards Giroud, who utilised all his strength to outmuscle Maguire and steer his header off the underside the bar. Schmeichel flicked the bounced ball away from danger, but Mike Dean got the signal and pointed for the centre. The Emirates erupted. The Premier League is indeed back!
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