Ray Parlour has criticised Noni Madueke’s failure to track back for Leeds’ goal against Arsenal, claiming the winger will be ‘disappointed’ when watching back James Justin’s strike.
Arsenal were forced to come from behind to emerge from Saturday’s Premier League clash with all three points, with Leeds fully deserving of the game’s opener in the 55th minute.
The goal sparked an immediate reaction from the champions and Riccardo Calafiori found an equaliser only seven minutes later, directing home Ben White’s header to send the Emirates into raptures.
Smelling blood, Arteta rang the changes in the 63rd minute, sending on Jurrien Timber, Viktor Gyokeres and Bruno Guimaraes to inject some much-needed impetus into his side in pursuit of a winning goal.
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That duly arrived with 20 minutes remaining of normal time as Declan Rice audaciously flicked the ball into the path of Guimaraes, who beat James Trafford with a low and precise finish to open his account for the Gunners on home soil.
The 2-1 defeat of Leeds ensured Arsenal moved level on points at the top with Manchester City, who play their first match since the club’s guilty verdict away to Liverpool this afternoon.
Leeds, meanwhile, dropped down to sixth place after a resurgent Chelsea thumped Bournemouth to leapfrog Daniel Farke’s side in the table.
‘I thought Leeds were the better team up to that 60th minute when they made the substitution, until the equaliser, and they deserved it,’ ex-Arsenal and England midfielder Parlour said in the Premier League Productions studio.
‘You could see the fans really enjoying the goal and it was an excellent goal, it really was.
‘You’ve got to really concentrate on just getting your connection right with the pace and Justin certainly got that right.’
But while Parlour was keen to praise Justin’s emphatic strike, he also made sure to highlight the role Madueke played in allowing Leeds to break the deadlock.
‘Madueke has got to do better there,’ Parlour – who won three Premier League titles with the Gunners – added.
‘I played in the wide areas at times and you’ve got to track your runners as well. As much as you like going forward, you’ve got to do a good job for your team.
‘He’ll be disappointed with what he sees there when he looks back at it.’
Madueke managed to redeem himself somewhat by playing the ball to White that led to Calafiori’s crucial leveller just past the hour-mark.
‘He [Madueke] is better going forward, we know that,’ Parlour said of Arsenal’s equaliser.
‘This is a very, very important goal, they were just about to make the substitutions as well.
‘It was a real deep cross at the back post and it is a brilliant header across. Calafiori gets into a dangerous area and he finishes it.
‘It’s a little bit harsh if I say James Trafford maybe should have done better.
‘It was a much-needed goal for Arsenal at that time because Leeds looked pretty comfortable before that goal.’
According to Parlour, Guimaraes gave Trafford ‘no chance whatsoever’ with his strike for Arsenal’s decisive goal.
‘It’s a great flick from Declan Rice, he knows exactly what he’s doing to set him up, and this is a great strike from Bruno Guimaraes,’ he continued.
‘He gets it hard and low, Trafford has no chance whatsoever and he will certainly enjoy that one. Another winning goal for him.’
On Rice’s exquisite flicked assist, Parlour went on: ‘You probably do that most days in training and it looks brilliant but to do it in a match…
‘As soon as Rice has done it he looks around so he knows it is in a good area for a player running in and that’s a magnificent goal, it really is.’
Arsenal will look to pick up where they left off when they return to the Emirates to play host to Lille in the Champions League on Tuesday evening.
Arteta’s men then switch their focus back to Premier League matters five days later away to Nottingham Forest.
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