Guimaraes off the bench again as Arsenal edge past Leeds 2-1

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Bruno Guimaraes has now scored twice from the bench in three Premier League matches, and once again the £75m summer signing proved decisive as Arsenal came from behind to beat Leeds United 2-1 at Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

Guimaraes, who sparked Arsenal's 2-0 win at Sunderland in September with the opening goal, struck the winner after replacing a starting XI that had fallen behind in the 55th minute. Riccardo Calafiori's equaliser set up the late turnaround, with the Italian's goal marking his first league strike of the season. No defender in the Premier League has been involved in more goals this term than Calafiori, with one goal and two assists.

The result put Mikel Arteta's side level on points with leaders Manchester City, extending their run to five wins in six league games. But the manner of the victory followed a familiar pattern: Arsenal have now fallen behind in a league match for the third time in four games, and only a David Raya penalty save prevented them from trailing at Sunderland as well.

Attack struggles to click without Gyokeres start

Arteta made a notable call in attack, starting Kai Havertz up front despite the forward returning early from international duty with a hamstring issue, while Viktor Gyokeres was left on the bench once again. Gyokeres scored four goals for Sweden during the last international break but is yet to start a Premier League game for Arsenal this season, and his cameos so far have fallen short of the level expected from a striker signed to lead a title defence.

With winger Christos Tzolis also picking up a hamstring issue on international duty with Greece and Eberechi Eze out of form, Arteta turned to Noni Madueke on the left. Madueke had been left out of the last England squad due to a lack of minutes at club level, but Arteta said he had been “the best player in training for the last 10 days”, suggesting the Leeds game could mark a turning point in his involvement.

Arteta flags defensive dip after Brighton mauling

Arsenal's title defence last season was built on the division's meanest defence, but they have already conceded five goals in six games this time around. The absence of the injured William Saliba has been notable, with his calmness alongside Gabriel Magalhaes considered one of the best partnerships in world football. Ezri Konsa, signed from Aston Villa for £55m, is still adjusting after replacing Saliba.

Reflecting on the heavy 3-0 defeat at Brighton before the Leeds match, Arteta said: “The last time we put our shirts on, something was missing. And we need to be very conscious of that. From being exceptional and being the champions to being extremely average, like in that game, is a really thin line.”

He added that the squad had addressed the issue directly: “We speak about it and you could sense that there was something in those tummies.”

Arsenal will look to build on the win and address the defensive wobbles before their next test, with Guimaraes' impact from the bench now a recurring theme in Arteta's search for consistency. Quotes via BBC Sport.